Match
by Golem XIV
Summary: Match is a bounty hunter living on the edge of the law. On a mission she encounters the Titans, but she dismisses them as kids playing superheroes. However, she soon finds out appearances - and first impressions - can be deceiving. Rated M for language, some violence and mild lemons. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1

Standard disclaimer: I don't own nuthin' except my own OC.

* * *

They call me Match. It's because I'm a redhead, green eyes included, and all the cool names like Flame or Scarlet or Crimson were already taken. I also flare up easily, like redheads do commonly. By coincidence, red is also my favorite color, and I use it liberally when it comes to my attire. Perhaps the most telling part is the hooded scarlet cape that I love to use.

It should come with a warning, though. I positively, absolutely _hate it_ when people call me "Little Red Riding Hood". If you value your continuing good health, you will _not_ utter those words in my presence. Actually, I strongly recommend against even _thinking_ them. Not only because of my temper, but also because I am not your run-of-the-mill 24-year-old. A normal girl is not usually capable of creating blade-like force fields, two-dimensional constructs whose thickness is measured in fractions of nanometers, so that they can easily penetrate between the atoms and molecules of your body and effortlessly cleave them apart. My force blades do not really mind what it is that they're cutting, since flesh, stone and metal offer just about the same resistance to them, that is to say, almost none.

Of course, the blades can take any rotational shape, but I prefer the simple ones and use mostly circles and ellipses. In the form of disks, circles are useful as shields and they can be thrown like Frisbees. Not that you would want to try and catch such a Frisbee with your hand, unless you are tired of having fingers. Disks are also useful as platforms that I can hop and fly around on. Air resistance and other factors mean I won't win any races using them, but it beats the hell out of running.

And just in case you were wondering, yes, I do know how to use my force fields in all their forms. After all, a girl in my line of business should not only rely on innate abilities, but also practice and improve herself constantly. Her life – _my_ life – depends heavily on it. What do you mean, what line of business? Bounty hunting, of course!

Yes, I know what you're thinking, and no, I am _not_ a mercenary. There is a difference. Mercs will work for the highest bidder. Bounty hunters _stay_ bought once you pay them. As long as you keep paying them. Also, bounty hunters have a much clearer picture of the line in the sand that separates the legal from the illegal, the beneficial from the detrimental to the society, the law-abiding from the criminal.

Hey, I'm not saying we never cross that line. I'm just saying we know where it is.

A bounty hunter may be paid his bounty not only for capturing criminals. Anybody and anything can have a price tag attached. I have caught criminals, found missing persons and located rare animals. I have retrieved items that were lost or stolen, and also some whose ownership was, to put it diplomatically, in dispute.

I don't do illegal stuff. At least not unless you pay _very_ handsomely. The problem is that I am good at what I do. My name has started to be whispered in some circles. Circles that have so much wealth and power that trifles like ownership and law do not mean much. Circles that can pay a lot to keep my conscience busy counting bills and not nagging me about moral dilemmas.

But after careful consideration, a few months ago I have decided to slow down with the darker activities. Once you get in too deep, you open yourself to all sorts of influences and pressures, and if there is one thing that is absolutely non-negotiable to me it is my independence. Being known in some circles can be very profitable, but it can also be hazardous to your health if you suddenly decide to pull out.

Of course, "slowing down" meant that I had to take the damn job in the first place. Not only did the job sound simple and easy, it paid well. Extremely well. Once I had the money, I would be able to pick and choose my next assignments, and thus maintain my independence.

Maybe I should have realized that employers usually don't pay top dollars for easy jobs. That fact in itself should have caused a red alarm light to flash in my brain, together with warning bells and emergency klaxons. But the amount was high enough to drown any misgivings.

So, there I was, casing out the place. The house was perched on a hill by itself, which was good, but it was surrounded by a high wall with electrified fences and razor wire, which was not so good. Security was maintained by a full complement of guards and dogs, both those that would bark to set off the alert, and those with their vocal chords surgically removed, that would silently fall on you and rip your throat out while you were still wondering what the hell was going on.

The electronic defenses were awesome but they did not worry me too much. All the motion sensors, infrared and LLTV cameras, pressure pads, automated turrets and their like had to have some kind of control, otherwise they would kill the guards as they were patrolling.

It is amazing what a good-looking girl can get away with if she knows how and where to look for it. Especially when it comes to computers and electronics. You find yourself some socially awkward nerd with an IQ of 150, you bat your eyelashes at him a few times and he'll hack into any system in the world for you. Hell, I didn't even have to sleep with the geek that did it for me. It was enough to bring him the information on the system and he was completely consumed by the challenge until he managed to crack it. I even felt a bit jealous; he actually kind of ignored me while he was solving the problem. When later I gave him a nuzzle and a kiss as a reward, I must confess that a good part of it was for the sake of my own self-respect. In the end he added my characteristics to the database of "friendlies" in the estate's system so that the automated defenses would consider me a guard. He would eliminate all evidence in 24 hours, and by that time the job would be done.

I was waiting for nightfall, reviewing the disposition of the guards and making sure that their routine patrol areas had not changed. So far everything looked fine.

The sun dipped below the horizon and darkness started creeping in. Floodlights winked on at the target location, but that was expected. It would actually make my job easier, because strong light means very dark shadows. It also interferes with IR and image-intensifying goggles. I still had about two hours before I planned to start my infiltration attempt, so I relaxed a bit, watching the target's routine.

I usually expend a lot of effort in my planning, trying to cover every reasonable issue that may rear its ugly head. But Murphy's Law is a force of Nature, and nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.

I first became aware of the sound of turboprop engines closing in. I quickly checked my camouflage to make sure I was not visible from the air, and then scanned the sky to see where it was coming from. By that time the sky was dark and I could not see any navigation lights blinking. I turned from the target to allow my eyes to adjust to the darkness and tried to look at the part of the sky where the sound was coming from out of the corner of my eyes. It is a trick that you learn quickly, the human eye focuses better in the center of the field of view but it's more sensitive to light on the periphery.

I was still unable to see anything until I noticed a few stars blinking off and then reappearing. It was an entire freaking fleet of VTOL aircraft painted jet black and with no navigation lights whatsoever. Things were staring to get interesting.

The fleet of aircraft flew over the target and dropped what looked like parachutists. For a second I waited for the parachutes to open and then I realized that there were going to be none. The figures that jumped off the aircraft fell to the ground at high speed, and then simply picked themselves up and started the assault on the house. Things were _definitely_ starting to get interesting.

In normal situations I would have quietly made myself scarce. But the people I was working for were not interested in excuses, only in results. It did not take much intelligence or imagination to realize that the gatecrashers were after the same thing that I was, and if they took it, I would have to track them down and recover it from them, which was at best problematic, besides probably requiring at least two to three weeks of searching, intelligence gathering and planning. I did not _have_ two to three weeks.

I started moving towards the target. My original plan was blown out of the water, plan B was turned into a crater and plans C, D and E were merrily burning. I would have to wing this one. My best bet would be to intercept the intruders after they secured the house and then appropriate the object I was looking for.

The attackers were forcing their way into the house, while still holding off the estate guards by exchanging gunfire. This worked in my favor since everybody's attention would be focused on the shooting and the noise would allow me to approach quickly. I am able to move very silently, but it slows me down. I created a force disk and hopped onto it, crouching, guiding it as it glided silently less than a foot off the ground towards the target.

As I approached the house I adjusted my course to get from behind the attackers guarding the positions they've conquered at the entrance to the house. It meant being vulnerable to the streams of bullets that the estate guards were sending their way, but that was a risk I had to take, otherwise they would see me coming and the risk would have been a lot greater.

Now I want to make it clear that I have no compunction against killing someone that wants to harm me, but I do try to avoid cold blooded murder. This usually complicates things for me, as you can imagine, since it is a lot easier to simply slit a guy's throat than to try and disable him without killing him. This time, however, luck was with me. As I approached, one of the attackers was hit by a stream of 20 mm Vulcan rounds from a turret, literally blowing him to pieces. I half expected him to disintegrate into a red mist, but instead I was surprised to see bits and pieces fly all over the place, some of them dropping to the ground around me with no flesh or blood on them. The attackers were robots.

I smiled to myself and created an elliptic blade in each hand. I jumped off the disk, pushing it hard with my feet towards two of the robots that stood together, their backs to me, at the same time narrowing the disk's leading edge to a sharpness beyond any razor. As I fell to the ground and rolled, the disk flew towards them and through them, slicing through arms and torsos as if they weren't there. I released control over the disk, now unnecessary, and it vanished.

In the same movement I sprang up from my roll and came into range of several more of the robots. A quick succession of slashes turned them into scrap. Eliminating the remainder of the opposition, I crouched at the corner of the house, for the moment out of sight from the other invaders, guards and turrets. In the free-for-all that was developing, it mattered little if the automated systems classified you as "friendly". The door was a few feet away, but if I tried to reach it everybody would be able to see me. I could create a shielding disk that would keep me safe from bullets and cannon rounds, but I would lose the element of surprise while still being heavily outnumbered.

If you can't go through the door, just make one for yourself. One horizontal and one vertical slash with both hands and a kick at that section of the wall, and I was crawling through the opening I just made. The sound of falling masonry was loud, but not uncommon in the midst of the firefight that still raged outside.

I was in the house, in a dark room. I moved to the door and listened first to make sure nothing waited beyond it. I snuck through the door and across the darkened corridor. Gently opening the door at its end, I saw the entrance hallway. This would be a good place for an ambush.

Almost on cue, a guy – quite obviously a living person – appeared carrying a briefcase, four robots flanking him. They walked quickly towards the exit. The guy had some kind of body armor and a helmet or mask on his face. Four vertical slits were placed where his mouth would be, one eye in the shadows, the other one visible, scanning his surroundings.

I allowed them to pass and burst through the door behind them, cutting down all four guardian robots in two quick slashes. I released the blade in my right hand and created a small disk instead with the idea of smashing the guy with the flat of the disk and hopefully knocking him out. To my great surprise, my arm was still moving in an arc towards the place where his head was a split second before when I realized that he was not there any more, and that moreover his left foot was approaching my head with unpleasant speed.

More by instinct than by design I managed to create a disk-like shield that intercepted his kick, but I was far from being safe. One-eye was already following up on the kick with a series of strikes and for a couple of seconds I was completely on the defensive, dodging and blocking by pure instinct, realizing that it was only a question of moments before one of his attacks would go through my defenses.

I sprang back to gain a second or two and to collect myself. One-eye did not follow me, but stopped and observed me malevolently.

"Well, if this isn't a surprise. Match, isn't it? I heard about you. Are you after this?" he said, lifting the briefcase slightly.

I just nodded, observing his posture and looking for an opening.

"I think I know who sent you. You can tell them that I have it. I don't think they'll be too harsh on you knowing who you were against."

"No deal."

"You are lucky I am in a hurry" he said in a matter-of-fact voice. He sprang at me and forced me back through the sheer viciousness of his attack. "You may even live through the night."

As he said it, he swung the briefcase and threw it in the air. I am ashamed to admit it, but I reacted like a complete novice, following the briefcase with my eye for a split second, time enough for him to smash a fist in my belly, doubling me over, breath whooshing out of my lungs. And just in case I thought the pain could not get any worse, he then finished me by using my head as a football, since I was still conveniently bent forward trying to breathe. Lights exploded in my head as I flew backwards. He caught the briefcase as it fell down, laughed and left the house.

I shook my head to clear the dizziness and staggered after him, gulping for air. I went through the door without checking first if he or someone else might be waiting outside, which just shows you the state he left me in. As I leaned on the door frame, the sparks slowly clearing from my eyes, my left hand tenderly holding my belly, I saw him about a dozen feet ahead of me, standing still, his back to me, with the few robots that remained outside gathering around him.

 _Fuck._

Now I don't usually swear. You'd noticed that I didn't do it even while One-eye was kicking the living daylights out of me. But when I saw the five figures that stood in front of him, I couldn't help myself.

Three of the newcomers were standing, one of them huge, metal glinting all over him. Two female figures were hovering on the flanks. In the darkness I could see plainly that the eyes of the one on the left were blazing white while the other one's were glowing green.

 _Freaking superheroes._

I hate superheroes. They meddle in my business and undercut my prices. I mean, how can an honest bounty hunter make a living when these guys provide a similar service for free?

I know, I know, "honest bounty hunter" is a candidate for oxymoron of the year, right there with "military intelligence". But you catch my drift. Not to say that superheroes usually take a dim outlook towards people living in the grey zone between law and crime, like myself. And there were five of them.

"End of the line, Slade!" said a short but lithe youth, apparently the leader. I couldn't see well in the darkness, but his voice sounded quite young. "You are going down!"

I mentally kicked myself. _Slade?_ I should have known – the mask, the single eye. He was bad news. _Very_ bad news. At least I could find some consolation in the fact that I lasted a full ten seconds against him.

Slade and his robots charged the superheroes. The leader stood his ground and received Slade's attack willingly, while the others scattered in what was obviously in accordance to a well-established combat manoeuver. The girls hovered high, providing ranged support against Slade's robots. The big, hulking guy transformed his arm into a cannon and let loose. The smallest one suddenly grew into a T-rex, roaring while he stepped on and squashed one of the robots.

There were no allies for me in this fight, so I remained leaning on the door frame, studying the opponents. If I could quickly spot some weaknesses I could have a chance of at least getting out of there in one piece, and maybe even finishing my mission successfully.

All five concentrated on Slade, brushing off his robots almost as if they were nothing more than nuisances. It was impressive work. They were fighting well together. But against Slade, it looked like it was not good enough.

Slade dodged and weaved among cannon bolts and green beams, avoided large objects thrown at him through some kind of telekinesis and managed to land a couple of disabling strikes on the small guy when he turned into a gorilla and tried to engage Slade in hand-to hand combat. His main preoccupation seemed to be the leader. Whoever it was, he had a fantastic grasp of martial arts and was able to hold very well against Slade. On the other hand, Slade also had to divide his attention among the other attackers, so he couldn't concentrate completely on his most dangerous foe.

All this lasted less than half a minute, but it was enough for me to recover my breath and clear my head completely. My left cheekbone still burned and my belly was tender, but it would not impair me. I was looking for Slade to make a small opening so that I could rush in and snatch the briefcase.

Something resembling a large black claw picked up three robots, as if it was picking flowers in a meadow, and tossed them almost contemptuously aside. The problem was that the "aside" was almost directly at me. I ducked as the three trashcans clanged into the wall. Two of them rose again, but one was left lying, sparks coursing over its body.

The two robots saw nothing better to do than to attack me. I created an elliptic blade in my right hand and a disk in my left hand. I stabbed with the blade and threw the disk. It took less than a second. It made me feel better.

"Screw this!" I said, angry, as I waded in. I walked towards Slade, any robot unfortunate enough to be in my way falling down in several large chunks around me.

"Give me that!" I told Slade, as I aimed the flat of my left-hand blade towards his head. He ducked, at the same time blocking a kick from the leader of the superheroes. Slade's eye glanced at me, annoyed.

"Stay out of this, Little Red Riding Hood. I already spared your life tonight. I won't do it again."

As I mentioned before, there are few things that I hate more than being called Little Red Riding Hood. I felt blood rising to my face and a red mist started clouding my eyes. I took hold of my anger and turned it into a cold fury, allowing it to suffuse me completely. My senses sharpened, I felt light like a feather. I advanced on Slade.

"Never, _ever_ call me that again." I said, as he lifted his staff to block. I swiped my right arm, the force blade cutting off the staff's upper half. With the return swipe I cut off the bottom half. Slade was left holding a stick that protruded not more than half an inch above and below his fists. I did not break my stride, but launched a punch with my left hand, a disk glowing flat against the front of my fist. Slade managed to duck, feinted right and started a roundhouse kick to my head.

I dropped down under his kick and my left leg scissored out, trying to sweep Slade's leg off the ground. He jumped up, somersaulting both over my leg and over the staff that the superhero leader was swinging at him. He fell back and concentrated on the superheroes, dodging several beams and bolts. I crept closer, waiting to catch him in an awkward moment. With five other attackers that he had to deal with, I didn't have to wait for long.

A car encased in some kind of black mist flew at him. He ducked and rolled beneath it, into the path of a shower of green bolts. He jumped up and avoided them, just as a green gorilla tried to smash him into the ground. Slade executed a perfect, flowing Kotegaeshi, throwing the gorilla into the path of a blue bolt that was sizzling his way. But he overbalanced slightly doing so, and I saw my chance.

I swung quickly and the blade sheared off the briefcase's handle. Slade was too busy avoiding missiles and bolts. I quickly picked up the briefcase and created a flying disk, hopping onto it.

"Have fun with you friends!" I said as a farewell and glided off into the darkness as quickly as I dared.


	2. Chapter 2

It was as dark as the devil's armpit. I crouched on my levitating disk, trying to put as much distance as possible between me and the battleground. I pushed the disk as hard as I dared, trying not to crash into some boulder or tree. I couldn't rise to a safer altitude because I'd probably be spotted immediately. Whoever won the contest between Slade and the superheroes would come looking for me next. My best chance lay in stealthily increasing the distance, changing course a couple of times to try and shake off any pursuit.

I was gliding through a copse of trees that I picked just for that purpose. The danger of running into one of the trees or getting snagged in the branches was great but the copse shielded me from detection both from the ground and the air.

The copse was small and I quickly approached its other end. I slowed down, dismissed the disk and jumped to the ground. I padded stealthily towards the boundary, keeping always under the tree canopy, and gazed over the clear ground beyond, trying to decide about the next leg of my journey.

The ground did not offer much in the way of concealment. A highway cut towards Jump City to my left, while elsewhere there were only fields and hillsides with almost no cover.

There was no sense in delaying. If concealment was not possible, the only other option was speed. I created a new disk, hopped onto it and gave it all the oomph I could towards the highway. A glimmer of an idea started forming in my head.

I reached the highway and started gliding parallel to it, heading for the city. Soon I located what I was hoping to find – what appeared to be a unique set of landmarks, easy to find later. It consisted of a couple of lonely trees, a billboard and a power pylon with a small equipment shack beside it. I quickly landed there and dismissed the disk.

I scanned carefully my surroundings, making sure I was not followed. With a small elliptic force-blade I carved an opening in the concrete behind the shack. Grunting with the effort, I lifted the concrete slab that I cut, using the force-blade to dig a deeper hole in the ground under it, so that it would not stand out too much once I put it back over the briefcase. I placed the briefcase in the hole and returned the slab over it. It was still dark and my handiwork was quite sloppy, but with some luck the briefcase would remain undisturbed until tomorrow. I was drenched in sweat from lifting and moving the 60-odd-pound slab around and I was dying for a shower. I took a long, final look around, committing the place to memory.

A few minutes later I was gliding again along the highway, already approaching the city. I was already savoring the shower and dinner that awaited me in my hotel when a flash of orange-green appeared in front of me, resolving itself into a young girl, orange-skinned and with luxuriant red hair, hovering about a hundred feet ahead of me. Her eyes were glowing green and her hands were encased in green fire. She lifted her hand in a commanding gesture and cried "Stop!"

I angled the disk in as sharp a turn as I could without falling from it and gave it everything I could. I turned my head to check if she was following me. She was indeed streaking after me, her speed such that she would reach me in a matter of seconds.

I swerved again to bleed off speed, dismissed the disk and fell to the ground in a forward roll, springing to my feet, facing her. I formed a blade in my right hand and a disk in my left, straightening out and awaiting her next move.

As she slowed down and hovered in front of me, I noticed a black vortex forming behind her. The swirling blackness took the form of a large, ghostly black bird that finally collapsed to reveal the other four superheroes I met at the estate. Nice trick.

"Five on one? I didn't know I was so fearsome!"

We were under the highway's lights and I had my first clear look of them. I must confess I was quite shocked when I realized that they were practically kids, around fifteen to sixteen years old.

"A bit young to be fighting crime, aren't we? Shouldn't you be in school or something?"

I realized I was talking too much and revealing my own anxiety. I bit my tongue and waited. There was nothing else to do right now.

They approached until they were some ten feet away from me, formed in what I recognized as their standard pattern, the three guys in front and the two girls hovering on the flanks. Their leader stepped closer.

"We saw you take the briefcase. Where is it? What's inside? Why was Slade interested in it?"

"I lost it."

"Yeah, right!" came from the little green guy. "You better come out straight, Red Riding Hood, or we'll –"

Twice in one night was too much for me. I dismissed the blade and disk and strode over to the green kid, oblivious to the others standing around us. I grabbed the front of his uniform and pulled him closer, hissing into his face.

"You do not say those words in my presence!"

I felt an arm on my shoulder. "Let him go!"

I kept my grip on the little punk, too angry to comply right away.

I heard mechanical clacking and whirring and finally turned my head. The leader was holding his staff ready, while the big guy was pointing his cannon-arm at me. The two girls were looking ready to unleash everything they had on me. I tried to arouse more rage in me and to channel it into the cold fury that took me to a higher level of combat readiness, but I was too spent from the showdown with Slade. I only managed to start shaking with frustrated anger.

I released the green kid. The leader of the bunch relaxed.

"Stand down!" the leader said to the others.

"She's got a nasty temper" said the cloaked girl, landing and allowing her cloak to settle around her.

I was about to retort sharply but I pulled myself together and tried to relax. I could not fight all five of them. I would have to try and talk myself out of this mess.

"What do you want?"

"We want the briefcase", said the leader. I noticed his colorful costume. I sneered.

"I don't have it. Want to search me, traffic light?"

He frowned. "Why was Slade after it?"

"Beats me. First time I saw him in my life."

"Very well, why were _you_ after it?"

"I was hired to obtain it by a client who is – and will remain – confidential."

He studied me. The little green guy opened his mouth again. I started to bristle even before he spoke. "Who are you, anyway?" he demanded.

The leader answered him without turning his head, still staring into my eyes. "She is Match, a well-known bounty hunter. She was not active in Jump City previously. Does not have a criminal record, probably only because nothing could be tied to her. Specialty, manipulation of force fields into blades, throwing objects and shields." He finally turned to the green guy. "You should really read our files every now and then."

"You seem to know a lot about me, but I know little about you, besides the fact that you kids should be playing in a sandbox somewhere and not meddling in the affairs of grown-ups."

I noted with some satisfaction that my remark bit them. All except Goth-Girl who was maintaining her calm.

"We are the Teen Titans. I am Robin, and they are Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven and Cyborg."

I swept my eyes over them and returned my gaze to Robin. "I do not keep files but I do have ears. I heard about you. I didn't know you were so young."

Robin's frown deepened. "We may be young, but we still do what we can to protect the people of Jump City. At least we do not sell ourselves to the highest bidder." It was my turn to frown. That one went under the belt.

"I am not a mercenary, nor am I a hired killer. I have captured lots of criminals. If your files are as good as you think, it should be in them."

"And you got paid handsomely in each case" he said with a hint of dismissal in his voice.

His dart found the mark again. I was beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable.

"What happened to Slade?" I asked, in an attempt to change the subject.

He dropped his gaze. "He got away." Ouch. Unknowingly I had hit a very tender spot.

"Got away? He was one against the five of you!"

"He surprised us and managed to slip away."

I suddenly had something much more important to worry about than a bunch of snot-nosed wannabe do-gooders. Slade was alive, well, free, and probably pissed off at me.

 _Fuck._

"In that case I will be taking my leave. He'll be looking for me."

"We cannot let you go. You were involved in a crime. You stole the briefcase."

"What briefcase? I don't see any briefcase here."

"There are five of us that saw you take it. There is also the small issue of breaking and entering."

I was getting angry again, but I realized it would only hurt me if I lost it. I forced myself to calm down.

"Listen, kid, be reasonable. First you have to catch me, then you have to drag me to a police station, have me detained for petty larceny and trespassing, and then I will get to make a phone call to my attorney, who will have me out in less than five minutes. Face it, you don't really have anything on me. I suggest we now part company, if not as friends, then at least as civilized people."

Cyborg chuckled. "Watch it, Robin, this match may flare up!"

I raised my fist, slowly extruding an elliptical blade and turning my head to cast a venomous glance at him.

"Is that titanium alloy armor plating, chrome brain? This will go through it like it was tissue paper."

"Friends, I fear she is in the right" interrupted the orange-skinned girl. "It would not be of help to us if we perform the restraining of the movements on her. Maybe it would be more advantageous if we approach her in the friendly manner."

I lowered my fist, dismissing the blade. I looked at her. "Thank you. Starfire, was it? Nice name. And it is good to know that you have the brains to go with that gorgeous hair of yours."

She giggled and blushed. "Do you really think that my hair is beautiful?" she asked.

I rolled my eyes at her naiveté but at the same time could not avoid smiling at her. I just nodded my head and turned my attention to Robin.

"So, what's it going to be?"

He was still studying me. He was very young, not more than seventeen or eighteen years old, but there was a sharp brain behind those eyes. "Very well, you may leave. But before you go, is there anything that you can tell us? Anything that could shine some light on this entire business?"

I relaxed and sighed. "Not really. I do not know who my client is, and even if I knew, I would not disclose the information. I have no idea what was in the briefcase. It is not my business to know. I was given the objective and basic information on its location. Everything else I was supposed to handle by myself."

I gave them a quick run-down of the information I had managed to collect in the course of my preparations. It included data on the estate owner, schedules, security systems and other stuff that was important for my mission. I wasn't giving out secrets. If I was able to find all of that out, so would they. I was just saving them a week's worth of legwork.

"It may be useful information. Thanks."

"All right then. Take care of yourselves, kids."

As I was turning to leave Robin lifted his hand. "Match? Can you hold on a second, please?"

He rummaged in one of the pockets of his utility belt and gave me a small transmitter.

"If Slade comes after you, just press the button and we'll drop everything and come to aid you."

"You mean _when_ Slade comes for me, right?"

He nodded. Understanding passed between us. He was not doing this out of the goodness of his heart. He had an unsettled account with Slade and I was the perfect bait.

* * *

Even though I was on the verge of screaming for a dinner, a bath and a bed, the first thing I did was to find the nearest car rental and go back to pick up the briefcase. Thankfully it was still there. I tossed it under the passenger seat and drove to my hotel.

I got into my room, threw the briefcase on the bed and picked up an unused, disposable cell phone from my luggage. I called the number I had committed to memory previously. It was answered immediately by the same voice that contacted me before. The synthetic-sounding voice had either been passed through electronic filters to safeguard the owner, or more probably, it was software generated from typed text.

"You have news for us." It was not a question.

"I have the briefcase. Once I have confirmation of the second fund transfer it's all yours."

"Good. The funds are being transferred as we speak. You will deliver the briefcase in this manner." He proceeded to explain where and how.

"Once you have delivered the briefcase, contact me again for the final transfer."

"I will be expecting a sizable bonus. The opposition was much more substantial than what you led me to believe."

"I have learned of your troubles. Slade is not someone to make enemies of. You will receive an additional bonus to the amount of fifty percent of the total agreed. Is this acceptable?"

 _Hell, yes it is_. "It is acceptable."

"Very well then. I will be expecting your final call."

I cut the connection and created a small blade. I proceeded to cut up the phone into small pieces, especially taking care of destroying all memory chips. I put the remains in a pocket inside my cape. I would have to dispose of them into several trash cans along the road. I did it without thinking much about it, a routine task.

It took me an additional forty minutes to put the briefcase in the designated locker and drop the locker keys into a specific mailbox. Not too sophisticated, but workable. I figured they were probably tailing me and by the time I dropped off the locker keys they already had the briefcase in their hands. It did not matter.

As I drove back to my hotel, I picked another disposable phone and called another number that I had memorized.

"It is done."

"So it is. By the time you return to your hotel, the funds will be transferred, including the bonus. Thank you for a job well done. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

I got back to my room, went to the bathroom and started filling the bathtub with hot water. While it was filling I flipped open my laptop and started typing the username and password on my Cayman islands bank's website. With the other hand I picked up the hotel phone and called Room Service.

The transfer was completed. I looked at the amount, almost disbelieving I had that much money in my hands. I quickly typed and encrypted an email containing a set of instructions for the bank. The money would be transferred to several other institutions, each of which had specific instructions for further automatic transfers.

With my belly pleasantly full and a glass of cognac in my hand, I lowered myself gingerly into the scalding water in the tub. I raised my glass in a toast to myself.

"Here's for an interesting day" I told myself.


	3. Chapter 3

I slept for no more than two hours when a sixth sense made me spring awake in my bed, a softly glowing shield and blade in my hands.

Slade was sitting in an armchair, facing me, legs crossed, elbows on the armrests, fingers steepled. He was completely relaxed, his eye contemplating me thoughtfully. I could feel no signs of danger coming from him.

 _Probably the last thoughts of many,_ crossed through my mind.

I straightened in the bed, dismissing the force fields. I allowed the blankets to fall off me. I sleep naked.

For the vast majority of males, the sight of a naked woman will be at least distracting. It is a small but important advantage that I have used successfully before. Slade's eye never left mine.

I knelt in seiza position, back straight, hands on my thighs, and relaxed. This is the basic stance of iaido. If Slade tried anything, I could block, dodge or attack in a split second. It also revealed most of my body to him, not that he seemed to notice it. I am not used to being ignored by men when I am naked in front of them. It was starting to make me angry.

Slade's face was inscrutable, hidden by the mask. I thought I heard a chuckle.

"You should learn to control that temper of yours" he said.

"I do. Haven't you noticed it a few hours ago?"

"Controlled adrenaline rush? Useful, but unreliable. Although I must admit it surprised me."

"You did not come here to exchange observations on combat techniques. Neither did you come to kill me, because we wouldn't be having this conversation. What is it?"

"Indeed. I have a business proposal."

I studied him through narrowed eyes. He still had not moved, sitting in the armchair as if he was part of the furniture.

He spoke again, his eye almost glowing in the gloom of the early dawn. "I propose first that we wipe the slate clean. I spared your life, you spared mine. We're even. The briefcase was a business transaction and you came out on top. No hard feelings."

"I can live with that." I said. "But you have a reputation as a man that hates to lose. Don't expect me to lower my guard."

"I would be extremely disappointed in you if you did. I am convinced that you have a lot of potential."

"Can we skip the compliments and get to the point?"

He chuckled again, almost soundlessly. "It is simple. I want that briefcase. Or rather, I want what's in it."

"I have delivered it already."

"I know. You will have to retrieve it for me from its new owner."

"I do not know him."

"Of course. I will give you what information I have. The rest will be in your capable hands."

"I am currently not in need of money."

Again the soundless chuckle. "No, not after being paid handsomely for the briefcase's delivery. But you are not one to sit idly and do nothing. You will do it for the thrill of it, and the money is only an excuse. If you were younger, I would seriously consider taking you as an apprentice."

"I heard that you have a fixation with finding an apprentice. I also heard that so far it has been more of a liability than an asset to you."

He waved a hand dismissively. It was the first movement that he made since we started talking. "That is true, but these things take a lot of time and effort, and I am not a man to be discouraged after one or two false starts."

I concentrated on his eye. "What about the Teen Titans?"

I think his eye narrowed slightly, but I couldn't be sure. "What about them?"

"They are interested in the briefcase, too."

"It was to be expected. What did you tell them?"

"How do you know I told them anything?"

"You wouldn't be mentioning them if you didn't."

Great. I tried to trap him and ended up trapping myself. A gentle reminder of who I was dealing with.

Slade was still sitting motionless, but the tension in the room skyrocketed. I chose my next words carefully.

"I told them what you already know. That I was hired by an unknown client to retrieve it. I gave them the basic information on the target that I had uncovered during my research, stuff that they would be able to find out for themselves in any case."

I could feel the tension abate, but I was also aware now of the sense of danger emanating from him. I felt an electrifying tingle pass through me. He was right, I loved to play this game for the thrill of it, and he was the most dangerous person I ever dealt with. I felt a drop of sweat slowly slide from my armpit down my side. I was startled to realize that I was becoming aroused.

My throat suddenly felt dry, but I forced myself not to swallow. His eye still studied me with the same thoughtful expression.

"If you run into them, I expect you to deal with them just as with any other obstacle. Otherwise, they are my problem, not yours."

"It will cost you double what I received from the original client. Bonus included."

"For that price I could hire four top-rank bounty hunters."

I shrugged. "You did your homework on me. You know that I don't bargain. Take it or leave it."

"I will take it. Now, since we have concluded our negotiations –" he got up from the armchair in one quick, smooth, silent move and took a step towards me. He stopped when he saw the two disks slowly spinning, softly glowing in my hands. He chuckled again. Then his gaze slid down and he slowly took in my body, returning it to look into my eyes again.

"I could have had your head now" I told him.

"You could, but you didn't. Maybe after our business is concluded we could arrange for something more… pleasurable?"

"Flowers and a dinner are a good place to start, but I can't guarantee anything."

His eye was glowing with amusement, and maybe something else. Admiration?

"It seems I have made a good choice. I will send you the information I have soon. Watch your back."

He backed to the door and was gone, without a sound. I shivered and took a deep breath. I realized I was covered with cold sweat. I needed a shower.

* * *

Interestingly enough, after all that excitement I managed to get a couple of hours of sleep. I headed downstairs to the hotel restaurant for a good breakfast. I had a feeling that today's day was going to require some extra calories to burn.

My feeling was confirmed when a hotel clerk approached and put a small box on my table, saying "A gentleman brought this for you, Ma'am, and he asked us to deliver it to you immediately."

I thanked him, tipped him and waited for him to leave. I opened the box. Inside there was a disposable cell phone. There was only one number memorized. I dialed it.

"I have located the objective" a voice came on the phone. "It is currently being taken to the airport. There it will be loaded onto a private jet. If we lose track of it now, we will be unable to locate it again for a while."

"I am on my way." I replied, glancing with some regret at the unfinished breakfast. "Give me the details."

He proceeded to fill me in on the private jet's characteristics and registration, where it was located and other information that I would need in order to find it.

"OK, got that. What is the status on the opposition?"

"Monsieur Mallah and Madame Rouge" came the reply, with the barest hint of amusement.

For a moment I was speechless. Then I felt hot anger rise in me. "You bastard! You knew it all along and you didn't tell me who they were!"

"Temper, temper, my dear girl. Of course I did. Hurry up, you need to justify the exorbitant sum I am paying for your services."

The line went dead. I dropped the phone back in the box and took the box with me. It was a long shot, but I may be able to find something once I had time to analyze it. Not that I was expecting much; Slade was many things, but nobody would call him careless.

* * *

I parked the rental in the airport's parking lot. There was no sense in leaving it in in any other place because it would attract unwelcome attention. I moved quickly towards the hangars where the private jets were in. Luck was with me and I was not challenged by anyone so far.

The hangar I was looking for was closed, but I did not have any intention of going through the door in any case. I cut a small entrance for myself in the back wall and stepped inside.

It was quite dark inside, but there was light enough for me to see that I was late. The hangar was empty. So much for stealth – time for plan B. I created a disk and rose to the ceiling, cutting a quick hole in it. Rising through the hole and crouching on the disk, hovering about a foot over the roof of the hangar, I scanned the runways and quickly spotted an aircraft that looked like my target, a sleek, double-engine private passenger jet. It was sitting on the approach section of the runway, its pilot obviously awaiting clearance for takeoff from the tower. I angled the disk and sped towards it as fast as I could.

As I approached, I could read the registration numbers on its tail. This was indeed the correct plane. The question was how to keep it from taking off. As I was getting near, the purring of its engines rose into a whine and then a roar, and it started moving onto the runway for takeoff.

I ran out of time for subtlety. I launched two disks at the aircraft, hoping they wouldn't cut through somebody – or worse, through the briefcase. The first disk clipped a small piece off the horizontal stabilizer and buried itself into the tarmac. The second was the lucky one, shearing off a good chunk of the starboard engine. As the engine faltered, the plane started weaving from side to side, the pilot trying to compensate for the sudden change in thrust. Jet fuel was streaming from the damaged engine. I cursed. The last thing I needed was a fire and an explosion.

As if on cue, an explosion blew off what remained of the starboard engine, while the jet fuel, still merrily streaming, caught fire leaving a long, black, oily cloud of smoke in the aircraft's wake. The plane started slowing down as the pilot aborted the takeoff and struggled to control the aircraft. This gave me time to approach it.

I floated above the plane and then dismissed the disk, dropping on the fuselage. As I created a blade to cut myself an entrance into the plane, several laser beams shot through the roof of the plane where I was standing. Someone already knew I was here.

I created another disk and hopped on it, just in time, because the next beam struck right into it. Luckily, lasers do not have momentum so it did not affect the flight of the disk, but it did force me to concentrate on maintaining its existence. I pulled back a bit. The plane was not going anywhere except into a ditch. I could afford to wait for the passengers to leave it.

I knew of the capabilities and reputation of Madam Rouge, so it came as no surprise when I saw her extruding herself through one of the holes made by Monsieur Mallah's laser. She reformed, standing on top of the fuselage of the decelerating plane, and looked at me with hatred in her eyes.

"You little bitch! You have betrayed us! I will take care of you personally!"

If I needed confirmation that the Brotherhood of Evil was my previous client, now I had it.

She extended both her hands towards me, like a couple of skinny tentacles. I knew I dared not pull any punches if I wanted to survive this one. I quickly prepared blades in each hand to receive her onrushing hands. Sweeping my right hand blade, I cut off both her hands and left their remains to fall, twitching, to the tarmac. But she simply extruded another pair of hands from the stumps, one closing into a fist and trying to hit me in the head, the other trying to coil around me and catch me in a very unpleasant embrace. I hacked and slashed at both, leaving several pieces writhing on the ground. Madame Rouge changed tactics. She literally poured herself on the ground, reabsorbing the bits and pieces I had cut off, and then rushed towards me with enormous strides of her extended legs.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see the emergency door of the plane burst open and a gorilla-like shape jump out through it. I realized that Mallah would be carrying the briefcase and that he had to be my main target, but I dared not ignore Madame Rouge, who was almost upon me. I created a large disk in front of her to slow her down and willed my platform to move after Mallah, but Rouge simply flowed over and around my disk and fell on me.

I managed to slip to the side a little, so the strike that was aimed at my midsection hit me in the pelvic bone. It hurt a lot, but it did not affect me otherwise. I managed to slash off again several lengths of her arms, with about the same results – she wasn't even slowed. She managed to get an arm around me and quickly lengthened it, wrapping me into it. I started to feel the same way a rabbit may feel in the embrace of a python. She had me completely immobilized.

Her head floated in front of my eyes on a snakelike neck, her eyes exulting as she increased her grip.

"I will crush every bone in your body!" she hissed. She was certain that she had me at her mercy.

But the arrogant bitch forgot that I do not need my arms to use my blades. They are a product of my will. I use blades in my hands because that way it is easier to control them, but I did not need hands to give them simple directions.

I created a spinning disk right beside her and sent it through her neck. Her head fell to the ground, tumbling and rolling. Her embrace loosened enough for me to create a blade and cut myself from her coils.

I left her reconstituting herself and sped after Mallah. He was running fast, but the open runway and fields around it put his short legs at a disadvantage. I threw several disks after him. By this time I lost any concern I may have had about the prospect of killing him. I just wanted that damn briefcase, and if I had to turn him into gorilla mincemeat, so be it.

The explosion of the plane behind me ruined my aim. Mallah dodged the first pair of disks and ignored the second, which were going nowhere near him. I released control over them and launched another two sets, with much better aim. Mallah somehow dodged them all, then turned towards me and roared defiantly.

As I approached, he jumped at me, both arms extended. I realized that if he managed to grab me, it would make Madame Rouge's embrace seem like a lover's hug. I turned my floating disk almost vertically into his path and he smashed into it, as I fell to the ground and rolled.

My floating disks are much thicker than the ones I use for combat, since I don't relish the idea of accidentally losing a foot while hopping onto them. This meant that Mallah was only slowed down instead of cut to ribbons.

I threw another two disks into his face to keep him away from me and moved sideways, circling around him, trying to get both him and Madame Rouge where I could see them and avoid an attack from behind.

Mallah came after me, roaring. I created a long, elliptical blade and used it with both hands, as if it was a two-handed sword. I did not need power – the force blades did not weigh anything and they would go through him with almost no resistance, no matter their size – but it kept his long arms at a relatively safe distance. He kept trying to get under my guard and connect with one of his blows, while I kept trying to cut off any piece of him that I could.

The deadly dance went on for about a minute more. I was concerned about where Madam Rouge was, but I was not able to turn my attention from the snarling gorilla in front of me. Finally Mallah managed to get under one of my swings, and his left fist clipped me on my chin, throwing me several feet back. My blade dissolved.

As I fell, I was barely able to see the huge gorilla form leaping at me through the white lights that were exploding in my head. By pure instinct, I created a small disk-like shield and slammed it into his face with everything that I had.

Mallah's own momentum brought his bestial face smashing into the disk. He was lucky that I was dazed so he hit the flat of the disk, but it was enough. A force disk is harder than any substance. Concrete is to it no more than a puff of gas; diamond and boron carbide are softer than a down pillow compared to it. He bounced off, blood streaming from his snout and brow.

Pain and bloodlust clouding my mind, I jumped on him, creating a blade in my right hand and stabbing downwards to pin him into the ground.

 _Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!_

My hand and the blade were suddenly immobilized, covered with some kind of black mist. I glanced to where the voice came from and I saw the five kids I ran into before dropping down around us. The cloaked girl – Raven, I remembered – was hovering with her arms in the air and her hands glowing with the same kind of black mist that was holding my right hand in its grip. My anger mounting, I sent off a disk her way from my left hand. She quickly created a black barrier of her own. The disk slashed through the barrier and was stopped almost half-way through. This made her lose control of the field that was holding my right hand, so I created a blade in each hand and advanced towards them.

As I approached them, I had to create a large disk to protect me from Starfire's green bolts and Cyborg's blast. They packed quite a punch, and for a moment I had to concentrate on the defensive disk in order to maintain it. I lost control over the blades in my hands, which immediately disappeared.

I dismissed the large disk, wary of any new blasts. I sensed the ground suddenly shake and spun around, to see a T-rex running at me, jaws open. I tossed a disk towards it, but it quickly turned into a bird, my disk passing harmlessly beneath it. As the bird flew over me, it turned into an elephant and started falling on me.

The image of a huge, green elephant falling on you to crush you is not a pleasant one. I acted by instinct, creating a defensive disk above me, and I had the presence of mind to angle it so that the elephant rolled off it and did not crush me, disk and all. I somersaulted backwards over my hands to give myself space for manoeuver and time to think. I realized that I did not have Robin in my view, nor had I any idea where Madame Rouge was. Neither of them was someone you wanted behind you in a fight. Hell, I didn't want them in front, either, but I had to play the cards I had been dealt.

As I retreated, I managed to locate Robin. He had finished off Mallah and was stooping to get the briefcase. I cursed under my breath and launched myself to intercept him. As I was running towards him I heard a whining noise behind me. I sidestepped and a blue bolt hissed beside me, grazing my right shoulder, to blast into the ground, leaving a smoking crater. Without looking, I created a disk behind me. It would only last for a second, since I was not able to see it, but it should be enough for me to close with Robin and that way force Starfire and Cyborg to quit using their ranged attacks, because of the danger of hitting their leader accidentally. I felt several bolts strike the disk and lost control of it, but I was already launching my attack on Robin.

He moved quickly, dodging my attack, responding immediately with a counter of his own. I blocked it and kicked out. He just pulled back, allowing my foot to pass an inch in front of his face, and then dropped to the ground and swept his leg to undercut me. I used the momentum of my failed kick to jump over his sweep and drop into defensive position. He withdrew a short stick from his belt and tossed something that looked like a cross between a boomerang and a bird at me. The stick he was holding suddenly sprang to more than six feet of length and he followed his birdarang with it. I created a blade and sliced the birdarang in half, continuing the sweep to cut off the upper portion of his staff. I saw surprise in his eyes as the top part of the staff fell off. I created another blade in my left hand and swung at him with it.

"Robin!" I heard Starfire cry as my blade approached his head. Something made me twist the blade and strike him in the temple with the flat of the blade. I dismissed it immediately, but not before it could bite into his skin, blood welling out as his head snapped sideways.

I heard a scream behind me and then I felt several somethings strike me in the back. I fell face-first to the ground, losing consciousness.


	4. Chapter 4

I woke up, disoriented, in a restraining tank. A cylinder of force shimmered around me. I took stock of myself and my environment. Slightly surprised that I did not feel any aftereffects from whatever knocked me out, I got to my feet and gingerly touched the force field humming around me, expecting anything from sparks to a violent electric shock. It turned out to be a non-reactive type, feeling like soft sandpaper under my fingers. I created a small blade and gave it a cautious, experimental poke. It was deflected upwards, pointing to the flow of energy in it.

I turned around to check the room I was in. It appeared to be some kind of holding facility, unsurprisingly, but I couldn't see any other occupants. It seemed like I was the star of the show for the time being.

The field was definitely impenetrable and there was not much to explore in the few square feet I had at my disposal. At the moment the best course of action for me was intelligence gathering. I knelt in seiza position, closed my eyes and waited.

Several minutes later I sensed a presence and opened my eyes. The girl Raven was there, taking readings from the monitors, probably checking on my status. She didn't speak. I followed her with my eyes, also silent.

She finished whatever she was doing with the monitors and approached the restraining tank. Her violet eyes regarded me calmly from under her hood. I returned the gaze with equanimity.

"How do you feel?"

"Guess."

"Is there any residual pain or discomfort?"

"No."

"Very well."

She turned and left. I closed my eyes and returned to my contemplation. I was already forming an escape plan, but before I tried it I needed to get as much information as I could.

Soon I heard voices approach. All five of them walked in.

Robin stepped forward. "It is good that you're awake. We must talk."

He probably expected me to protest my innocence, demand that I be released, threaten legal action and/or bodily harm or something along those lines. I was not going to give him the satisfaction. I looked at him coldly, not replying. He pushed on. "Were you working for Slade?"

I continued staring at him, silent.

He tried another tack. "Madam Rouge was apparently wounded in the explosion of the plane. She was gone as soon as we showed up. We captured Mallah, but he managed to break out of jail less than two hours after we locked him in."

So I was out for at least three hours, more probably six. Good to know. I remained silent, watching him.

"The briefcase is locked with a digital combination lock and any mistake in typing the correct combination will result in the destruction of its contents and probably anybody that is standing close to it."

This information was new, but expected. Whatever was in that briefcase was valuable and as such, well protected.

He looked at me for a minute and realized that I was going to keep giving him the same answer. He turned to the others.

"She obviously decided to be uncooperative."

Cyborg chuckled. "Maybe we can leave her with Raven. The two of them can stay silent at each other for the rest of the week." Raven looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

Robin frowned and turned back to me. "Listen, I don't like this situation. I have no wish to keep you locked up like this, but I don't see any other safe option unless you start to cooperate. Are you working for Slade?"

I was getting good at this game. I continued to eye him coldly, not saying a word.

He made a final attempt to make me talk. "Look, I know what you did back there. I saw that you twisted the blade so that it struck me with the flat instead of the edge. You spared my life, and that means you're not evil. But there is too much at stake here to allow myself any generosity without knowing more. I need to know who you work for, what is in that briefcase, and why are the top villains looking so desperately for it."

His final attempt was as successful as the previous ones. He sighed and turned. As they were readying to leave, I asked "Who healed me?"

They turned back as one. Robin's eyes narrowed. He glanced at Raven and said "She did. She's our healer."

I looked at her and nodded my head. "Thanks."

She looked back at me and cocked her head slightly to one side in a sign of 'you're welcome.' I was starting to like this girl. She could say more with one gesture than many people with thousands of words.

As far as I was concerned, there was not much left to be said. I closed my eyes, ignoring them. They all turned around and filed out.

* * *

A couple of hours must have passed. I kept my eyes closed, carefully listening to the sounds around me. It was as good a time to start with my plan as any.

I opened my eyes, still kneeling in seiza, and looked carefully at the closest restraining unit. Power to the units was probably fed from below, because the energy in the force field flowed upwards. I studied carefully all connections and conduits, the pedestal where the unit was placed, the surrounding support mechanisms and computers. I decided on the final course of action.

I created a small disk and carefully positioned it horizontally outside the restraining unit, a couple of inches below the level where I was kneeling. Then I brought it closer to the cylinder, almost touching it. It was difficult work, because the control of my constructs depends largely on being aware of them, and that is easiest to do if you can see them. The force barrier that kept me in was not completely transparent, though, and that meant that I had to concentrate a lot more than usual. I made some final adjustments to the position of the disk and took a deep breath. If I miscalculated, the least that would happen was that I would raise an alarm. The possibility that my next move could end up cutting off my own legs was also somewhat alarming.

I sent the command to the disk and it quickly expanded, biting into the pedestal as close to parallel to the ground as I could make it. The power to the restraining field was cut and the field went down. I carefully stepped out of the unit, trying not to move it. I dismissed the disk and the restraining field returned. It worked perfectly. I managed to cut the pedestal and interrupt the power with the thinnest force field I had ever made, so that once it disappeared, most of the atoms and molecules recombined as they were before. A close inspection would show what happened, but that was not an issue. For now, the important thing was that I was relatively free.

 _Now for the briefcase._

It would be in a lab or workshop. I did not know the layout of the place, so I would have to search for it. Not the optimal solution, but I couldn't see any alternative.

I cracked open the door of the holding facility and glanced into the corridor outside. It looked deserted. I decided to go with the left-hand search pattern. I turned left and crept down the corridor noiselessly.

As I walked stealthily down the corridor, I opened all doors and looked into every room I found. I skipped the elevator and the stairs, wanting to finish searching the floor I was on before continuing up or down. It didn't take long to confirm that I was the only person on this level, and that the briefcase was not on it.

I decided to go up a level. It was probably more dangerous but if the briefcase was above me it would cut down on my search time and in itself reduce the risk. Using the elevator was asking for trouble, so I turned towards the stairs, just across the elevator. As I approached them, I heard the elevator doors open.

I spun around and leapt towards the opening doors, without even knowing who or what was inside. I caught a glimpse of Raven, surprise in her eyes, her arms already lifting over her head, black mist gathering around her hands.

"Azarath Met– OOOOF!" she cried as I shoulder-slammed into her midsection, forcing the air out of her lungs. Not without a bit of regret I landed a quick but brutal fist on her temple. Her eyes rolled and closed, and she fell unconscious. I lowered her gently to the ground and checked her pulse to make sure I did not do any permanent damage. Removing her hood, I also checked the place where I had hit her. She would have a nasty bruise and a bad headache, but nothing more than that. I noticed she was quite beautiful and wondered why she chose to hide her face under that hood and why she kept that nice, violet-black hair cut so short.

"Sorry, girl" I whispered. "I'll try to make it up to you later."

I stalked back to the stairs and went up a level. I continued my quick search pattern, not finding anything of interest. I went to the next level, conscious that time was running out for me.

The next level was a lot bigger. I cursed inwardly and continued with my search pattern. After a few doors, however, luck smiled on me as I found what looked like a workshop or lab. I went in.

The briefcase was on top of a work desk, surrounded by equipment that the kids – the Titans – had used to test it and to try to bypass the built-in security. I quickly searched it from all sides to make sure it was not tampered with, and finally, satisfied that it was untouched, I made to grab it.

"Hey! Hold it!" came the surprised shout from behind me, accompanied with the mechanical whirring and clacking of Cyborg's arm transforming into a cannon. I reacted without thinking, whirling and releasing a disk at the place where the voice came from, and continuing the move by rolling to one side. Cyborg's blast went over me, luckily missing the table with the briefcase, and exploded against the far wall, blowing up some equipment. I jumped to my feet from my roll and I felt my heart sink.

Cyborg's body was falling down to one side while his legs were collapsing the other way. My disk had struck him just below the torso, severing both legs. I ran to him, expanding a defensive disk in front of me.

I looked at him. There was no blood, but a lot of hydraulic fluid was seeping from the torn conduits on legs and torso.

 _Shit, I hope that doesn't hurt him,_ went through my head as I approached his prone body. He was conscious and angry, he used his arm to move himself into position and prepared to unleash another blast.

"That's not a good idea" I said behind my defensive disk, but he was furious and did not listen. He lifted his arm cannon and shot me. The blast exploded on my shield and much of it reflected back on him. His maimed torso was lifted and slammed into the wall, cracking it. He fell down, hopefully only unconscious.

I tried to take his pulse but the normal places where I knew how to do it were covered in titanium armor. I cursed both him and myself, but there was nothing I could do. I ran to the briefcase, grabbed it and sprinted out of the room.

Cyborg's blasts would attract all the others. The time for stealth was over, now I needed brute strength. I created a blade in each hand and started cutting a path through the walls.

After going through a couple of rooms this way, I found myself facing a large window. I could scarcely believe that I was almost out. As I ran to the window, intending to simply jump through it, a large green goat slammed into my left side, tossing me into a wall. Sparks danced in front of my eyes. Instinctively I created a large defensive disk in front of me, hearing a distinct "Ouch!" as something big and green crashed into it. I got up, seeing a huge green bear shaking its head as if to clear it. I lifted the disk and smashed its flat side on the bear's head several times. It went down, transforming back into Beast Boy.

 _Are you enjoying beating up children?_ I asked myself, disgusted. At least I could check Beast Boy to make sure he was alive. Satisfied that he had no lasting damage, I smashed the window glass and jumped through it, creating a disk to ride on. I glided as fast as I could towards the city.

As I approached the city, several green bolts hissed around me. I ducked and weaved, avoiding the next two barrages, until I spotted a warehouse. I flew into it, extending two large blades on each side, cutting through the piled up boxes and scaffolding on both sides as I flew through. Crates, boxes and debris fell down behind me, creating a lot of dust and hopefully hiding me from Starfire's sight.

I burst out of that warehouse and into the next, repeating the performance. This time, however, I turned sharply to the right, cutting an exit for myself in the wall. If I could get to the streets, I could lose myself in the crowd, where Starfire would not be able to fire her bolts at me for fear of hitting an innocent bystander.

As I suspected, she was waiting for me at the entrance to the warehouse, and my escape through the right-hand wall surprised her, allowing me to put some distance between us. She was much faster than me, though, and that advantage quickly melted. I finally flew into a parking garage, repeating my previous tactic of cutting the girders as I flew by. The upper floor collapsed behind me, cars and masonry toppling from above. I just hoped she was smart enough not to follow me through that.

I emerged onto a street and finally succeeded in shaking her off by flying through alleys and in and out of shops, restaurants and houses. I dismissed the disk and walked into a busy street, scanning the sky for signs of her. Not seeing anything, I stopped a cab and gave him directions towards my hotel.

I changed two more cabs before reaching the hotel, carefully searching the sky and ground for either her or Robin. Not finding anything suspicious, I finally got out of the cab and entered my hotel.

I got to my room and walked in. Somehow I was not surprised to find Slade sitting on the same armchair that he used last night. I walked past him, briefcase in my hand, and sat on the bed. I was starting to get angry.

"It would be nice if you could show some respect for my privacy!" I fumed, glaring at him. He followed me with his eye.

"I learned that you obtained the briefcase, so I came to pick it up. I also learned what you had to go through in order to get it. I am impressed, you know."

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"No. The funds have already been transferred. You can check if you want to."

"Of course I want to." I opened my laptop and logged onto the bank's web site. The transfer was indeed complete. I closed the laptop and looked at Slade.

"There is one thing left before I give you the briefcase" I told him. His eye narrowed.

"What is it?"

"I want to know what is inside."

"You do not need to know."

I felt anger rise in me, even though I expected his answer. "Yes, I do. I had to beat up three kids before I could secure it. What is it so important that I risked killing children for its sake?"

"Those 'children' are very dangerous opponents" Slade said.

"I have noticed that. But it does not make them any older, nor does it make my distaste for hurting them less."

He looked at me, studying, analyzing. When he answered his words were light, but his tone had a hint of menace.

"Ah, the ruthless bounty hunter in the throes of an attack of scruples. What would your next clients think if it were to be known that you started developing a conscience?"

I felt a pang of fear, but it quickly turned into anger. I got up from the bed and paced the room, coming to stand at the window. I hoped it appeared as random nervous pacing, but it was my only exit if he decided that the time for talking was over.

I turned to face him, scowling. "Don't mock me. I wouldn't have any scruples towards hurting _you_."

"Wouldn't you, now? Wasn't that what happened last night when you cut off the briefcase handle instead of simply killing me?"

"That was just returning the favor." As soon as I said that I realized how flimsy an excuse it was.

His eye contemplated me in that same thoughtful manner.

"You are really going soft", he concluded. "I must take that into account next time I want to do business with you."

"I don't think there will be a next time."

He stood up, quick and deadly as a snake. "I agree."

He waited a few seconds, as if pondering if to attack me or not, and then said "I have fulfilled my part of our deal. It is only fair that you comply with yours."

"I have already told you my price."

He looked at me for a few moments longer. "I have a party interested in the briefcase. He may tell us what's inside. If you wish, you can come with me to deliver it and try to find out what's inside it."

I thought about his offer. It was the best deal I would get. I really had no choice, other than fighting him – or backing down, which was not an option.

"I will come. Meanwhile, the briefcase stays with me."

He relaxed and chuckled. "As you wish."

With those words, he was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

Slade set down the chopper at a remote area in the desert outside Jump City. I hopped out, scanning the surrounding area, but there was nothing around except the desert itself.

The thwacking of the chopper's rotor slowed and died down. I heard Slade's footsteps approach behind me. "Well, I guess this is why they call it a desert", I said.

"Patience. They will come."

"They?"

"You'll see."

We waited for a few minutes more. I can usually control my impatience, but this time there were too many unknowns whirling around for me to feel comfortable. I was standing in the middle of a desert, the most dangerous criminal on the planet standing beside me, waiting for a group of unknown but probably extremely dangerous characters to complete what was certainly a highly illicit transaction. You'll excuse me if I was slightly uneasy.

Soon I spotted a cloud of dust approaching. Whoever it was, he did not care much about stealth. Or maybe it was…

I walked around the landed chopper to scan the area behind us. I quickly noticed a speck in the sky that was getting larger as it approached. It was obviously not a bird. My suspicion was confirmed.

"Either the cloud of dust is a decoy or we have unwanted company" I said loudly. Slade joined me, looking at the aircraft approaching.

"I do not believe these are unwelcome visitors, I rather suspect it is just their standard way of doing things. But your paranoia serves you well."

Both vehicles approached quickly. The ground car was a six-wheeled IFV. Its armor was probably proof against anything short of a tank round and its turret looked heavy on firepower. The aircraft was a dual-rotor chopper, the rotors placed coaxially, one above the other, similar to Kamov's designs. Its size was about right for a squad of a dozen soldiers with their equipment. Pylons under the short, stubby wings bristled with rocket pods and guided missiles. What looked like a 20 mm chain gun under the cockpit completed the craft's undoubted offensive capabilities.

"A lot of firepower against just the two of us", I commented.

Slade just grunted in reply. I wondered if he was surprised at the show of strength.

The IFV slowed and stopped facing us, a cloud of dust enveloping it for a few seconds. A squad of soldiers jumped out of it, forming into a line, guns ready but not pointing at us. The IFV's turret with its two missile launchers and twin chain guns, however, was locked on our position, ready to launch a hail of destruction our way at a moment's notice. The chopper hovered above and slightly to the side of the IFV. Ropes snaked down from it, and another squad of soldiers slid downwards to join their comrades already facing us.

The passengers of both craft disembarked after the soldiers. I looked at them, barely able to control my anger.

I turned to look at Slade. "Should I kill you right now or wait until we finish the transaction?" I asked him through clenched teeth.

Slade chuckled and stepped forward to greet the members of the Brotherhood of Evil.

* * *

"Why have you brought this traitor here?" Madam Rouge demanded, fury in her voice. Mallah was silent, but his bestial eyes were riveted on me with a look of pure hatred.

The Brain's metallic voice restrained them. "It was to be expected. The bounty hunter is a major player in this entire affair. It is only logical that she would be involved until its conclusion."

A moment of uneasy silence passed, broken by Slade's voice. "She is my assistant and bodyguard for this mission. Your past history is of no concern of mine. If you want to conclude the transaction, you have to deal with both of us."

"I am afraid we have already paid for her to deliver the briefcase. That amount shall be deducted from the final transfer", the Brain observed.

I remained silent, but Slade was not intimidated. "Unacceptable. She was paid to deliver the briefcase and she fulfilled her obligation. The fact that you were later unable to keep it safe in your power is not of our concern."

Even without the hint of contempt in Slade's voice, the implication of his words was not lost on Rouge and Mallah. He took a step toward us, while she clenched her fists. This time it was General Immortus' voice that stopped them.

" _If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. If his forces are united, separate them._ This was said over three thousand years ago by a brilliant student of mine."

Mallah backed down, but Madame Rouge's fists remained clenched and her eyes smoldered.

"Please conserve your calm", the Brain spoke quickly. It was obvious that he did not trust Madame Rouge fully and that he was anxious to avoid an escalation.

"As for you, mercenary", he turned to Slade, "how do I know you will not cheat me? You obviously hired her to steal the very object you are trying to sell me back."

Slade chuckled. "That is indeed so. But the real intent in acquiring the briefcase was not its re-selling."

"That must mean that your wish is to collaborate with us in this project" the Brain stated.

"I suppose this is the reason why you are called 'the Brain'."

You could literally see the Brain thinking it over. I mean _literally_. Patterns of light appeared in his prefrontal cortex as he concentrated on the issue. "I have analyzed the available data" the Brain said. "You demand is reasonable. Your experience and skills will prove to be useful. We will partner with you on this venture. However –" he turned to me "– I do not trust the bounty hunter. She can not be part of it."

Slade shrugged his shoulders. "She has been hired on a temporary basis. I do not care either way." I shot him an angry look.

Mallah did not react to the Brain's words. He seemed a well trained pet. Rouge and Immortus, however, were obviously not happy with expanding the partnership, but they kept silent. This could get interesting very soon.

"Well, well. Aren't we one big, happy family." I said, still smarting from Slade's dismissal. It was as good a time as any for me to add my own demand. "There is an additional item before I surrender the briefcase." In an instant, I had everybody's undivided attention. "I want to know what's inside it and why it is so important."

They all looked at me in disbelief, except the Brain, whose electronic eyes showed no emotions. "That is not a request we can fulfill", he said in his flat, artificial voice.

"It is not a request" I said coldly.

Madame Rouge stepped to the side. Mallah placed his bulk in front of the Brain, protecting him. Immortus floated up and back, to a safer spot. I created a disk in each hand. Only Slade remained apparently unconcerned.

The Brain tried to defuse the situation. "I am sure we can find a negotiated solution –"

Madame Rouge interrupted him. She was done taking his commands for the day. "Of course we can. I have a demand, too" she said, looking at Slade, pointing a finger at me. "I want her."

Slade chuckled, looked at me and took a step back. "Be my guest."

Subconsciously I was probably expecting those words, because in the instant he uttered them my two disks were flying towards the Brotherhood members. The first one was aimed at Madame Rouge. It sliced through her torso, cutting her in half. The other disk was aimed at Immortus. The disk bit obliquely through his flying platform, shearing it in half and cutting off his left leg. No blood came out of the severed limb, just ages old dust. As the remains of both platform and Immortus fell to the ground, two of the troopers ran to his side to pick the pieces and take them away from the battle. From what I knew of Immortus, a small scratch like the one he just received was far from enough to kill him. He would probably just tack his severed leg back on and be no worse for it, but I hoped that he required some time to do so. In any case, at least one of them was out of the fight for the time being.

Mallah hadn't charged yet, which surprised me a little, before I realized his main concern was to defend the Brain. He had the creature's chassis in his grasp and he was retreating towards the chopper, still hovering above. I left him to his devices, for at the moment my entire attention was required to deal with Rouge.

I quickly created a shield to protect me from the missiles and Vulcan rounds that started pouring at me from the IFV and the chopper while throwing another disk at Madam Rouge, who was quickly reconstituting herself after my first strike. It was intended to slow her down so I could create a levitating disk to increase my speed. Hopping on it, I went for the soldiers that were deploying into attack formations, already shooting and throwing everything they had on me.

My defensive disk was doing a good job of absorbing the punishment and I easily avoided the few grenades and missiles that managed to arc around it. I created a long blade in my right hand and swept it through a group of three soldiers. Two disintegrated in sparks and pieces of robotic scrap, while one gave off a long, thin scream as his arm fell off and his intestines spilled onto the ground, soaking it with his blood. A sense of self-loathing assaulted me, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth, before being pushed away by a cold, calculating and merciless part of my mind that took over my actions.

I suddenly changed my direction and flew at Madame Rouge. She didn't expect me to attack her and her instant of confusion allowed me to cut her down into several pieces. I continued down my path and along the soldiers, leaving another three robotic and one human opponent in varying states of dismemberment on the ground. I returned to Rouge, still melding her pieces back together, and struck savagely at her, pieces of her rubbery body flying all over the place. I repeated my attack pattern with yet more robots falling destroyed to the ground.

The stench of blood and body fluids was starting to get overpowering. I ignored it and sent two disks slicing into the chopper. The pilot managed to evade one, but the second sheared off one of the stubby wings. Mallah, still clutching the Brain's chassis and hanging from one of the ropes, twisted his body and agilely jumped into the chopper, shouting at the pilot to retreat.

 _Another down._

As the chopper limped away, I cut down the remaining soldiers and robots with disks and blades. There were two more humans among them, bringing my murder count for the day up to four. I forced the thought from my mind, concentrating on staying alive.

Madam Rouge was fully restored, advancing towards me. I flew around her, tossing disks her way. She expanded her body into a sheet, the disks slicing harmlessly through it, the opened slits closing instantly. She strode a giant step towards me, extending her leg more than twelve feet, her arms rushing at me. I whirled my blades and pieces of her arms started flying everywhere, but it didn't slow her down. She was almost upon me. I directed my flying disk backwards and avoided her left arm that was trying to encircle me. Her right fist grazed my cheek – the same one that received Slade's gentle treatment the other night. Pain shot through my head, but I ignored it.

From the corner of my eye I saw Slade, arms crossed, contemplating the battle. He obviously had no intention of getting involved unless he had to. He was too far away for me to see if he was amused with what was happening, but I could easily imagine it. My anger rose in response and I took hold of it, allowing the fury I felt to infuse my body.

I dismissed the blades and created two vertical disks in front of Rouge. She flowed around both, extruding her arms towards me, enveloping me in a constrictor's embrace. I spun the disks around me like a giant kitchen blender, slicing through her arms and body, the remains of her arms falling off me.

I retreated again from her. We were at an impasse. I could cut her into little pieces, only to have her rebuild herself every time. She could try to hit me or strangle me, just to have that part of her body cut off. We circled each other, studying each other, making plans against each other, discarding them, making new ones.

Her next attack went for my legs. She extruded one of her legs and wrapped it around mine. As I glanced down and sheared the leg-tentacle off, her left fist was streaking towards me. I dodged, but my legs weren't yet completely free. I lost my balance and fell off my flying disk. Her right hand swung in an impossibly long cutting arc, aiming for my throat. I pulled my head in, like a turtle, and her open palm struck bladelike into my temple. Fighting the flashing lights in my head and the nausea in my belly, I swung blindly with a blade, cutting both her hands off.

I rolled sideways on the ground, jumped to my feet and somersaulted backwards, avoiding her strikes only by a miracle. In desperation, I created a protective disk just in time to stop her arms that were rushing at me again. Her fists struck the disk and started flowing around it, seeking me, but it gave me the split second I needed to form a new levitation disk and retreat to catch my breath.

Now that a few feet separated us again, the turret on the IFV started spitting a new stream of missiles and Vulcan rounds at me. I blocked its attack almost as an afterthought, the 20 mm shells and missiles exploding against the shield I put up. A new idea formed in my head. I gave Rouge a malevolent smile.

I flew around her, trying to get her between myself and the IFV. As I did it, the stream of tracers from the IFV followed my movements. As I positioned myself so that Rouge was between us, the gunner lifted his finger off the trigger, but not before several bullets went through her. As I expected, most of the holes closed almost immediately, except for two that were caused by incendiary tracer rounds. I nodded to myself grimly. My idea had a good chance of working.

Rouge took a giant step sideways, launching another attack to distract me and slow me down. I sheared off her tentacles and again tried to get her between myself and the IFV. She sidestepped again, this time launching an attack directly at me and another farther to my right. She expected me to move there so that I could get her again in front of the IFV, and she set up a trap for me. I sliced off the attacking hand and flew into what she thought was her trap. Her right arm wrapped around me, the left one following quickly after it. I could see a victorious smile forming on her lips.

But I had her where I wanted her. I created a large, vertical disk and sent it spinning towards her. It cut her in half and continued on its way. Her tentacles fell off me. She quickly melded her two parts together and prepared to attack again, not realizing she wasn't my primary target. Behind her, the disk sliced the armored IFV in two, fuel from its tank spilling, the turret's chain guns still blazing and a missile leaving its rails, igniting the fuel as the vehicle fell apart.

The explosion threw Madame Rouge face down on the sand. I angled my flying disk almost vertically in front of me, using it to bear the brunt of the shock wave, and then pushed it forward with all the might of my legs and my mind. I fell to the ground, keeping my concentration focused on the disk hurtling towards Madame Rouge. It flew on, flat side forward, leaving a furrow in the sand. It caught Rouge's body and dragged it into the middle of the conflagration. She gave off a shrill scream as she was dumped into the burning fuel.

She arose, flames hugging her fiercely. A stench of burning flesh and rubber filled my nostrils. It could have come from her or from the burning tires of the IFV, I didn't know and I didn't care. The flames enveloped her head as she seemed to melt into the ground, but not before she gave me a look of pure, unadulterated hatred. She emerged from the sand a dozen feet away from the burning IFV, the fires that consumed her extinguished, but too wounded to continue our battle. She retreated, sliding snakelike through the desert sand with amazing speed. I followed on my disk but soon I realized I would not be able to catch up with her.

In any case, I had some unfinished business. I turned the disk around and glided at full speed towards Slade.

He was already in the cockpit of the chopper that we came in, taking off. He waved a contemptuous farewell. I threw two disks after the chopper, but he avoided them with ease. I watched him get away, my anger slowly subsiding.

It was then that I realized he had the briefcase.


	6. Chapter 6

It took me a few hours to glide back to Jump City. I was hurting, tired and filthy, and Slade's tracks were already too old to follow with any chance of success. I did go through the motions, checking at the airport to see who returned the rented chopper, but as I expected, there were no solid leads.

For a minute I thought about changing hotels and making it more difficult for Slade and the Brotherhood to track me down. I decided against it. The Brotherhood did not concern me too much for the moment. I had bloodied their nose well and they will need a few days to lick their wounds before they come after me. Slade held the upper hand because I could not locate him. He would not give up that advantage just to gloat or even for the pleasure of killing me. He is a patient man that makes few mistakes. He would have plenty of time for that later.

I had a dinner, a shower and a drink and I got into bed. Tired as I was, all the things that happened today were running around my head, not letting me sleep. I have made some major enemies today. While they were not an immediate concern, the Brotherhood of Evil was powerful and their reach was long. With Slade collaborating with them, my future was looking very grim indeed.

I realized I was in a very precarious situation. As a lone operator I had no one to watch my back, and balancing between law and crime also left me without the protection of the organized groups on each side. But if that was the price I had to pay for my independence, then so be it. I reviewed mentally my options. Going to any superhero group was preposterous. The Justice League would just laugh at me, and my new acquaintances, the Teen Titans, were probably itching to have a personal discussion with me regarding our recent encounter. The villainous groups, on the other hand, were simply not to be trusted. They may accept my request for protection for a few days, but they would betray me in an instant if there was profit in it. And there was a lot of profit in it.

Laying low was, therefore, out of the question. As the old saying went, a good offense is the best defense. It suited me fine. Tomorrow morning I was going after Slade.

The decision dispelled the doubts I had. Whatever happened, I would go down fighting, and I was damned if I went down without dragging a few of my enemies with me. The thought gave me pleasure as I grinned malevolently into the darkness and floated into sleep.

It was still early morning as I checked out of the hotel, the small rucksack with my mobile possessions on my back. I took a cab about halfway to where I was going and then descended to the Metro, where I did a convoluted change of cars and lines, trying to keep it as random as possible. I repeated this twice more, going through several department stores and parking garages for good measure, changing my appearance several times, using up all the spare clothing I had in my rucksack. The only thing I did not use was my scarlet hooded cape, since it was a dead giveaway.

I finally arrived where I was headed. It was less than half an hour away, but it took me all morning to get there. I rang the bell.

Darren opened the door. His eyes widened in recognition. Even though I met him only once before, when he hacked the estate systems for me, he didn't forget me. It felt good.

"Match? This is a pleasant surprise! Come in, please!"

He stepped away from the door, allowing me entry. I walked in.

"I'm here on a business visit, Darren." I told him, as I followed him into the house. "I need you to track someone for me."

"Sure, no problem. Who is it?"

"This is all I have" I said, removing the cell phone Slade gave me yesterday. God, it felt like ages ago.

Darren took the phone and frowned. "Not much to go on."

I gave him my most seductive smile. "If anyone can do it, you can."

His eyes lit up. I hoped it was because of my charm and not because I presented him with an interesting challenge. He sat in front of his monitors and started working.

"This is going to take a while. You can crash on the couch if you want."

I took his advice, knowing that there was nothing I could do right now to help. I just had to let him do his magic.

As he worked, he spoke to me over his shoulder. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

There was no point lying to him. He may be antisocial, but his IQ was genius level.

"I am, but I suggest you leave it at that. The less you know, the safer you will be."

He nodded, without pausing in his work. He soon became totally engrossed in cracking the problem, forgetting about my presence. He hummed softly to himself as he typed and quietly exclaimed unconnected words as he switched from one computer to another. I noticed he was running a set of ideograms through an online translator. Chinese? Korean? He was probably hacking the system of the phone manufacturer.

I relaxed on the couch, knowing that there was no point in hurrying him. My job now was to wait and if necessary, supply the pizza and the sodas.

After a few hours, he shook me awake. I hadn't even realized I had dozed off.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Sure, what will it be?"

"Anything that can be eaten with one hand."

I went to the phone and ordered some burgers. He returned to the computer screens.

I made some coffee for both of us and dropped off a full mug in front of him. He didn't appear to notice it. He certainly didn't thank me, but I let it pass, knowing that he was too concentrated in what he was doing to be able to comply with social niceties.

The food came. I received it and paid for it, taking it to the kitchen and putting the burgers on plates. I took all of it to the room and placed it in front of him. Again, he ignored it for a minute and then absent-mindedly picked up the burger in one hand and started chewing, his other hand leaving the keyboard only to grab the mouse and move it around, clicking, before returning to the keyboard.

I dozed off again. When I opened my eyes he was looking at me, stretching his arms over his head. His eyes were glowing with satisfaction.

"You have something for me?"

"I'm making good progress. I have found the shop where the phone and SIM card were sold. The buyer used a credit card that was forged using data stolen from the SM Corp during that famous hack. I suppose you heard about it?"

I nodded. I did indeed recall, it was all over the news. He continued. "So the guys that hacked SM Corp offered the data for sale over the Darknet. I hacked them to see who their clients were and try to cross-reference –"

"OK, I get it. What did you find out?" It was not very nice of me to cut him off like that, he was enjoying his moment of glory, but I was simply bored out of my skull. But his grin never faltered.

"That's where it gets interesting. I noticed that someone had already hacked them and stole part of the data. They don't seem to be aware of it, but I found out the tell-tale signs. Whoever it was did a good job, removing all traces from the logs. But I managed to hack the routers and got the IP where it came from."

I was instantly fully awake, my boredom disappearing. "Who is it?"

He laughed. "It's not that simple. It's a Tor node, an anonymizing service, like a proxy. But I will find him. Give me a few hours more."

I took his head in my hands and kissed him on the lips. "That's a down payment. Now get on to it!" His grin widening, he got back to his terminals.

I curled up on the couch. I was getting close.

It was well past midnight when he got the final piece of the puzzle. He located where the hack came from, a badly secured home connection. The store where the phone and SIM card were bought was close by, confirming the finding. Darren then checked his files for known hackers that lived in that area and found the likeliest candidate. There was a high probability that Slade hired this guy for the job. It was my best lead so far.

With the address committed to memory, I gave Darren another kiss. "I am in a hurry to get this over and done with" I told him. "I'll be back as soon as I finish to give you the rest of the payment." I winked at him and then put my hands on his shoulders, my face serious.

"Get rid of all traces and remove all this information from your systems" I told him. "These people are dangerous. Don't get involved."

He nodded, still grinning, happy with his victory and with my promise. I left his house. The hunt was on.

* * *

It was quite dark outside. It suited me fine, because it allowed to me glide on a disk above the roofs without undue fear of being observed. As I approached the target address, I prepared my plan.

It would be probably useless to try and convince the hacker to reveal anything, because Slade was not so stupid as to personally hire him. The business was conducted either via proxy or over the phone. That meant that I had to make some waves in the pond and then wait for the big fish to come out looking for the bait.

I arrived at the target. A quick check of the house showed state-of-the-art alarm systems on the doors and windows. The hacker was obviously concerned about his safety. I didn't blame him. When you deal with Slade, safety precautions are worth investing in.

But I did not have any intention of going through the door or the windows. I selected a room where the window was lit with the cold glow of computer monitors and I created an elliptic blade, making a hole in the wall. I kicked the wall in and stepped inside, quickly approaching the surprised hacker, grabbing him by the front of his t-shirt and pulling him close. I lifted my index finger on my left hand and created a tiny blade floating just over it, moving it very close to his eyes.

"Either you start talking, or I start carving" I said. "Where is Slade?"

"Wh – who are you? What do you want?" he stammered. He was almost paralyzed with fear.

"I ask the questions. The guy who contacted you to get him a phone. The phone that you used stolen credit card information to obtain it. Where is he?"

"I do – don't know what you're talk – AAAH!"

"Wrong answer!" I hissed, as I gently glided the blade under his eye, from cheekbone to nose. It was only skin-deep, but blood welled out and he obviously felt the pain.

"Wait-wait-I don't know, I never met him!"

"How did he contact you? How do you contact him?"

"I just call a number, or he calls me, I swear, I never saw the guy!"

"What is the number?" He stammered it to me.

"Good. I will check this and I will come back for you. For your sake, I hope you have not lied to me."

He gurgled something that was probably an intent of assuring me of his sincerity. I gave him the coldest look I had.

"I suggest you keep our conversation private. If I learn that you've said anything to anybody, I'll be back!"

I pushed him to the floor, created a disk and flew out of the house, going up to hover silently over the roof. I spotted his head peering through the hole in the wall that I made, looking for me, trying to see if I was gone. After a few seconds, I heard the soft beeping of his mobile phone as he was calling the number. I grinned to myself. In situations like these you have to be careful not to scare them too much, otherwise they will take your advice of not calling anyone seriously.

I listened as he talked excitedly with his counterpart, relating what happened and demanding protection. So far he was acting just as I hoped he would. A pang of conscience made me feel as if I had swallowed an ice cube. He was not going to survive tonight. I pushed the thought mercilessly from my mind.

Less than fifteen minutes later, several shadowy forms ran through the street and into his house, smashing through the windows and reinforced doors, setting off the alarm. After a few seconds, I could hear his scream even over the blaring of the alarm. The shadowy forms left the house and melted into the darkness of the streets, but not before I rose on my disk to follow them.

I glided as close to Slade's Commando bots as I dared. So far everything was going according to my plan, but I was worried about the possibility that Slade activated his bots remotely and that I would end up in a robot warehouse, not in Slade's lair. But there was nothing I could do about that. A cowardly part of my mind saw fit to comment that not finding Slade maybe wasn't such a bad thing.

We soon arrived at a small tin shack in the seamier part of the city. The bots disappeared inside, while I landed and took cover behind a tree stump, checking the place out. Long ago I have learned the painful lesson that you're usually better off not charging blindly into unknown places. A few minutes used in assessing the location can extend your life span for years.

I could not see much. There were no cameras or obvious sensors. There may be pressure pads buried beneath the ground, but I could fly over on a disk without setting them off. I did not think that there were any motion sensors, since any rat or stray dog would activate them several times a day. The dangerous part was probably inside.

Having made my decision, I glided to the wall beside the door and cut as small an opening for me as I could. I bent the cut section outwards and quietly wriggled inside.

The shack was completely empty and dark, but my eyes had accustomed to the gloom already and I saw the tell-tale tracks that the Commando bots left in the dust. They ended up suddenly, pointing to a well-camouflaged trap door in the floor. I could not see it in the darkness, but I had a good idea where it was.

I made an exploratory incision with a short blade. There was the slightest change in resistance as concrete and soil gave way to steel and air. I continued to cut, angling the blade so that the cut portion doesn't fall in and give me away. As I finished the cut, I twisted the blade slightly and the sliced portion popped upwards.

Thankfully, it was not an armored door, because I would not be able to lift a foot-thick disk of steel large enough for me to go through. As it was, its half-inch thickness made up for a burden heavy enough to make me grunt as I dragged it, as quietly as I could, to the side.

I slipped through the hole, hanging by my hands. The angled cuts, made by a force-blade, were sharp as knives, but it took me only a second to create a floating disk beneath my feet and drop onto it. My fingers were bleeding but the gashes were not too deep. It would not hamper me.

I descended down a gloomy shaft. The cables and other paraphernalia on the walls of the shaft suggested that there was an elevator, or at least a platform, that would rise and lower to give access to the lower levels. As I descended, the shaft entered a huge underground room and continued down as a rectangular wire mesh cage.

I had no intention of going all the way down using the shaft. I quickly cut a three-quarter circle in the wire mesh, taking care that no wire debris fell on the ground. I bent it outward and glided out of the elevator cage.

I had to find a secluded landing spot immediately. I was floating in the air in the middle of the room and anyone down there could see me if they looked up.

As I floated down I took stock of my surroundings. The place was huge. It was littered with machinery and equipment, boxes, crates and barrels. It looked like a warehouse, but without the order and organization that a typical warehouse has. The boxes, crates and machines were scattered on the floor, placed on each other without any sense or plan, as if they were dropped off at the most convenient spot and then forgotten. It made for a bewildering maze on the ground, but it also gave me a large choice of hiding places. Finally, I saw the jackpot – a door with a digital lock on one of the walls, two Commando bots standing guard before it. This was going to be my next target.

I landed quickly but quietly to the side and about twenty feet away from the door, hidden by a pile of crates. The guarding bots were staring straight ahead and did not see me. So far, so good. Two disks sailed silently their way, one above the other. The bots crumpled down in several pieces. Besides the noise they made falling down, I could hear nothing.

I went to the door and poked it with a small blade. Satisfied, I made myself an opening and stepped through.

I was in a wide corridor with several doors leading away on each side and another digitally-locked door at the other end. No guards in sight. I was itching to go straight through the door at the end of the corridor, but it would have been dangerous not to check the other doors. I tried the first one – locked. I cut a small hole in it, just a few inches across, so I could look inside. It appeared to be an office of some kind and it was empty. I quickly checked the other ones with similar results. Satisfied, I tried the final door. To my surprise, it was unlocked. I carefully opened it and glanced inside.

The door opened to some kind of large workshop or small factory floor, although what could have been made in it was beyond me. Some heavy machinery was softly whirring, large cogs and well-oiled gears turning.

I saw a corner office, made of paneling and glass dividers. I headed there. Through the glass I could see a desk with a computer and monitor, printer and your usual office items – staplers, pen holders, binders – scattered around. It was a simple office, just untidy enough to suggest that someone was working there until recently. As I approached it I saw a briefcase standing innocently on the desk. It was so innocuous looking that it took me several seconds to realize that it was the one I was looking for. The next second I was at the door, going for the handle. The door was locked. Without hesitating, I created a small elliptical blade and slashed at the fragile door.

The blade bounced.

I must have stood there for a couple of seconds, my mouth open. I snapped out of my amazement to check the flimsy-looking door. My slash had damaged the paneling, and part of it peeled off to reveal an almost invisible force-cage underneath. Nothing was getting inside that office without shutting the force-cage down.

I heard a chuckle behind me. I whirled around, a disk spinning in each hand, to see Slade standing behind me, his arms folded across his chest, his eye regarding me with amusement.

"You should have seen your face right now. It was… priceless."


	7. Chapter 7

"Are you trying to get me angry?" I asked him, extending one of the disks into a blade, dropping into a defensive posture.

He ignored my question. "You have surprised me again", he said. "I thought you were going soft, but I see you had no problem in sacrificing the hacker's life to get to me."

I managed not to wince at his words, but only just barely. "The end justifies the means." I said. I started circling around him, looking for an opening.

He stood still, legs set wide and solidly planted on the ground, arms still crossed, following me with his eye, without moving his head. I circled to his blind side. It may be a very small advantage, but I needed all I could get.

"You will not stop going after that briefcase, will you?" he asked, still not turning to face me.

"No."

"Why?"

It was a good question. At first I was angry because I had to fight the Titans to get it. But I realized it was something else, something that bothered me in the back of my mind, an itch I could not scratch.

"It is not that I want the briefcase. I want to keep it away from you and the Brotherhood."

"Why?" he repeated.

"I don't trust you with it."

"Since when have you started being a superhero?"

"Don't be an idiot. Do you think I don't know what your final purpose is? Do you think I would care to live in such a world?"

"You could live well enough as my… collaborator."

"Only until you tire of me."

He laughed and turned to face me. "That would be a long time coming."

I straightened out, staring into his eye. "But it would come eventually. And most importantly, I would be depending on someone – you, the Brain, whoever is holding the briefcase's secret. I prefer my life as it is right now."

He was silent for a couple of seconds, but I realized there was nothing more to be said between us.

Even though I was tensed up and ready for his attack, its speed and viciousness took me almost by surprise. I found myself reacting instinctively to his assault, blocking a thrown grenade with a disk, dodging his staff and rolling backwards to get some space between us. I slashed with a blade to keep him away from me and threw two disks at him just to keep him busy. He dodged all of my attacks and approached, perfectly balanced, ready to pounce in any direction.

His staff whirled and arced towards my head. I lifted the blade to intercept it, but to my surprise the staff smashed into the blade and pushed it out of the way, continuing on its path. I jumped back instinctively and the staff whooshed in front of me. Continuing the move, his right leg swung in a roundhouse kick. But I got over from my initial surprise, dropping to the floor and lashing out with my own leg to undercut him. He jumped over, landing on his right foot, his left leg extending to strike me a glancing blow in the shoulder. I rode the kick and used its momentum to roll backwards and put some distance between us.

So his staff now had a cylindrical force field inside its core. Cute trick. I didn't usually come across opponents fighting with force fields, but it was not something new to me. I created another blade in my left hand and waited for his next move.

It came very quickly. He threw a couple of devices at me – boomerangs, grenades, I did not see and it did not matter – and I created a disk to bounce them off. But they were just a distraction. His staff was already swinging towards me. I blocked with my left blade and ducked under it to stab at him with the right-hand blade. He spun to avoid it, but at the same time his right leg went up in a streak towards me. I was still leaning forward and in an unbalanced position, but I managed to straighten out just in time, his foot whistling uncomfortably close to my eyes. I transformed my blades into disks, blocking his next staff strike with the left and throwing the right into his face. He bent backwards, the disk passing perilously close to his head. He continued his movement into a somersault, falling into a defensive stance, his eye glaring at me malevolently.

It was my turn. I threw a couple of disks to his face and lower body, following up with a windmill attack with blades in both hands. He twisted his body to avoid the disks, bent under the first blade and blocked the second with his staff, immediately turning it and hitting me in my ribs, just under my armpit. I fell back. My ribs hurt like hell, but his strike did not have the leverage or power to break anything. I dismissed the pain and concentrated on him.

He jumped at me and I created a large defensive disk in front of me. He curled in the air and hit the disk with his feet, pushing it back at me. I quickly dismissed it, but the moment it disappeared his staff was already stabbing at my midsection, while his left hand threw a grenade at me. I swatted the grenade aside with my blade and spun to avoid the staff, my left hand blade slashing towards him. He dropped to the ground, undercutting me. I fell heavily but managed to roll to the side, his fist smashing into the concrete floor just an inch away from my ear. I jumped up to my feet and fell into a defensive position again.

I was starting to get frustrated, and this quickly turned into anger. Good, I needed all the rage I could get. He came at me in a renewed assault. I was able to block and dodge his attacks, trading ground for time, trying to work myself into a fury.

I realized I was fighting defensively. Against an opponent like Slade, it was just postponing the inevitable. I would have to do something about it. As his next attack came, I blocked the staff and moved my head to avoid his fist as I leaned into him, my blade stabbing for his chest. He pulled his punch as he had to dodge my lunge, but not so much as not to clip me on my left cheekbone – the same one that had already suffered both his and Madame Rouge's ministrations. The pain was blinding and my eyes filled with tears, obstructing my view for a moment. I quickly jumped back, just as his staff whooshed where I was a split second before.

The pain was what I needed to get my adrenaline pumping. My vision cleared and my mind focused on him. His eye narrowed, recognizing the tell-tale signs. I waded in, left blade blocking his staff, right blade slashing diagonally downwards. He spun away, his leg straightening out only to hit a defensive disk I popped up, his body continuing the spin to get his staff to bear on me. I blocked with my right hand blade and stabbed at him with the left one. He ducked under the blade and sprung at me, hitting me with his head in the abdomen. I fell down, breathless, trying desperately to roll away and breathe at the same time. Somehow I managed to do both things.

We circled each other and attacked at the same time. He ducked under my blade as I blocked his staff. He smashed bodily into me, his superior weight and strength carrying us both to the ground. He used his right hand to hold me pinned while he lifted his left hand for a punch that would probably smash my head like a ripe melon. In desperation I created a vertical, spinning disk and sent it towards his head. As I was not able to do it with my hands, the disk moved slowly enough for him to twist out of its way, but he released his hold and his left fist only grazed my ear as I moved my head to the side. It still felt as if someone had thwacked me in the side of the head with a two-by-four.

There was a roaring in my head and I was half-blind from the pain, but somehow I was able to free my hands and slashed with my blades at him with no plan or purpose except to get him off me. I was lucky. My panicky attack was so unpredictable that he was not able to counter it properly and he had to roll off. I backed away, breathing heavily, facing him.

He didn't give me time to recover. He sprung at me, throwing his blades, staff whirling. I cut the blades from the air with a slash of my left blade, blocked his staff with the right one, and tried to kick him while his fist was flying towards my belly. I twisted to avoid it and continued the spin in a windmill cut with both blades extended. Again he ducked under the first one, but I brought the next one down and into his path. He managed to contort his body somehow, avoiding getting cut in half, but the blade left a furrow in his mask on the blind side. A small trickle of blood welled through the cut.

Slade's hand lifted to his mask, his finger touching the blood. He glanced at it.

"It's been a long time since I saw my own blood" he said. The tone of his voice made it clear that any possibility of him sparing my life, however remote, was now gone. Only one of us would walk out of here. It suited me fine.

He renewed his attacks. For a couple of minutes I held my own, but soon I was breathing hard, drenched in sweat. He did not seem to tire at all. I felt a pang of despair, realizing I would slow down soon, one of his attacks would break through, and that would be it for me. I gave ground, trading it for time, trying to catch my breath, but Slade was not going to give up his advantage. He pressed the attack until I was defending by pure instinct and adrenaline.

His staff was slashing towards me in an arc parallel to the ground. In desperation I dove under it, inviting him to try and kick me in the head, both of my blades scissoring inwards. He did not take the bait, but stepped back, continuing the motion of his staff up and then slamming it down on me. I twisted, blocked the staff with my left blade, but lost my balance and fell heavily to the ground. His staff was already descending again as I rolled away, striking my left leg behind the knee. I pushed myself away and tried to get to my feet, but my left leg was paralyzed. I was only able to get onto one knee, my blades crossed in front of me, waiting for his final attack.

He sidestepped the disks I threw at him without effort as he approached, twirling the staff. He launched a quick succession of strikes with it that I managed to block, but my immobility meant that I was unable to dodge. He continued his assault with the staff, following with a kick to my head. I created a defensive disk, but in my state it was getting difficult to control more than two constructs. The disk deflected the kick but the staff still had both my blades occupied blocking it. I tried to get up, but the pain in my leg made me gasp. He waded in, realizing I was about to go down.

Again the whirling staff struck and again I managed to block with my blades. His leg came out for a kick, and I created a defensive disk to block it, but it made my left blade disappear. Realizing his chance, he struck savagely downwards with the staff.

Everything started moving in slow motion. I was aware of the staff descending, but I was unable to do anything. I tried moving my right blade to block, but my arm would not listen to the commands of my brain. In a fit of impotent anger, just wanting to hurt him any way I could, I propelled the defensive disk towards him.

He saw the danger and spun away, the staff losing momentum. I saw the disk slicing through the armor on his thigh, gashing his leg deeply, but at that moment the staff smashed into my head and white light exploded in my eyes.

I was unconscious only for a second, Slade's strike weaker than he intended. I was on my hands and knees, shaking my head trying to clear it, when I saw Slade limping towards me. The cut on his leg was deep, but not serious. I tried to create a disk and send it his way, but as soon as it formed it evaporated. I was simply unable to concentrate on it. I was only capable of watching Slade approach, my death in his eye.

As I crawled backwards, desperately trying to form a disk, a blade or anything to strike back at him, a colorful figure dropped between us. It was Robin.

The rest of the Titans dropped around him, facing Slade. He considered the situation for a split second, then quickly tossed several tiny objects in front of him and disappeared in the smoke that started billowing out.

I realized I was alive and I would stay that way for a while. Almost with relief I let go and allowed myself to slip into unconsciousness.


	8. Chapter 8

I woke up in what appeared to be an infirmary. I felt good, without any residual pain from my injuries. I noticed Raven watching the medical monitors before she lifted her eyes to look at me.

I returned her gaze and asked "I do not feel any discomfort. Did you heal me again?"

She nodded.

"Thank you. It was very kind of you."

She lifted an eyebrow at me and turned around, motioning with her hand for me to follow.

I swung my legs over the side. Still sitting on the edge of the bed, I looked at her.

"Raven?"

She turned around and looked at me.

"I'm really sorry for what I had to do the last time we met."

She frowned. "It was my mistake. You surprised me."

I got up from the bed. "It may be so, but you did not deserve it. Are Cyborg and Beast Boy all right?"

"Wounded pride only."

I nodded my understanding. She turned around to the door again.

"Let's go, the others are waiting in the Ops Room" she said over her shoulder.

I followed her.

* * *

The Titans were gathered in the Ops Room of their tower, obviously waiting for us. Raven must have somehow informed them that we were on our way. I walked in, made a beeline for the large couch in the middle of the room and sat on it, crossing my legs.

"Waking up in this place is starting to become a custom. At least this time you did not cage me, but you will excuse me if I don't thank you for it."

Robin's eyes dropped to the floor, suddenly ashamed, but he quickly lifted them and looked at me. "I suppose we all have something to apologize for."

I nodded and looked at Beast Boy and Cyborg. "Guys, I'm sorry. I hope it wasn't too bad."

Beast Boy smiled. "No problem, momma. Just use something softer next time."

Cyborg was not going for it. He would not forget that easily.

"I take it you had spares" I told him. He just stared at me, frowning.

I shrugged and turned to Robin. "Slade got away?"

He nodded. "We did get the briefcase, though."

"Good." I dug into a pocket of my cape and came out with the transmitter he gave me a couple of days ago. I tossed it at his feet.

"The airport might have been a coincidence. Twice in a row is not. You saved my life, so I cannot complain, but I warn you that I will not tolerate any further intents to track me."

He had the decency to blush. He opened his mouth to apologize, but I cut him short with a raised hand.

"Don't apologize. You did what you had to do. And don't think I am a snow-white innocent, either. Last night I killed someone just to get at Slade."

His eyes narrowed. "Killed? Who?"

"I didn't kill him personally, but it is as well as if I had stabbed him." I told them the whole story, without keeping anything back, except for Darren's name and location.

When I finished, they were silent. "Now you know who you're dealing with."

Robin glanced at Raven. She nodded and walked to me. "Please do not be concerned" she told me. She took my head in her hands and closed her eyes. Her touch was cool and pleasant.

I suddenly realized what she was trying to do and I whipped my head back, breaking the contact. I jumped to my feet, extending a blade from my right hand.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I asked, shaking with anger.

"Relax, Match" said Robin. "Raven is an empath, not a telepath. Your thoughts will remain private. You have my word."

"You could have asked!" I said, lowering the blade but not dismissing it.

"Call it a kind of insurance. What did you feel, Rae?"

"Nothing definite. I will need a longer contact."

I was still fuming. "You allow yourself a lot of liberty, kid" I told Robin, staring angrily at him.

"I must know if I can trust you" he replied, his eyes cold and hard behind his mask.

"And how do _I_ know I can trust _you_?"

"We are superheroes!"

"My point exactly!"

We stared at each other. After a few seconds I had an idea.

"Very well, I will submit to your… search. Under one condition."

"Which is…?"

"Make it two-way."

"I can't allow that."

"Unless I can see into her mind, she'll stay away from mine. Call it a kind of insurance." I said caustically.

Robin stared at me for a few seconds, then glanced at Raven.

"Your call, Rae."

She looked at me for a few seconds, pondering. She then closed her eyes and said "I will do it."

I dismissed my blade and sat down on the couch. She took my head in her hands again.

I was flooded with a sensation of calm. My mind, trying to conceptualize what was happening, created an image of a deserted beach on a peaceful day. The vast sea spread before me, its surface broken only by small waves that lapped quietly on the shore. Their rhythm was soothing, almost hypnotizing. And yet I perceived that underneath that tranquil surface currents, eddies, tides and maelstroms lurked, only waiting for a chance to break loose and turn into a storm. On impulse, I let my imagination dive under the blue waves, letting them wash over me, seeking to find out what lies in the depths.

Raven felt my plunge and jerked her hands back.

"Sneaky", she told me softly. She turned to the others. "There is no falsehood in her. She told us the truth, at least the way she sees it."

I felt ashamed that I tried to intrude in her secrets. I touched her hand. She turned to me again.

"I'm sorry" I told her. "I did not want to intrude, really. It was just… an impulse. It is the first time I went through something like this. I didn't understand what I was doing."

She gave me the tiniest smile and an almost imperceptible nod.

I turned to Robin and asked "Well, what now?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while. Before we can make any decision, we must know what's inside and why is it so important."

"That sounds like common sense" I agreed. "Is there a way to sneak peek inside without setting off the security charges?"

"In a very limited way" Cyborg replied. "I checked it thoroughly before you snatched it last time" he continued, unapologetically. "I scanned it under X-rays first, which is a logical first step. The only thing not shielded from the X-rays was the explosive charge."

"So whoever made the briefcase has on purpose left the charges – and only the charges – visible" Robin commented.

"Correct. It makes sense, if you think about it. It is a kind of a self-preservation mechanism. It warns us that the charges are there so that we don't try to open it by force."

"It also means that whoever made that thing was pretty damn certain it was impossible to crack open without blowing it up" I said, frowning.

"I am pretty sure that there are no accelerometers inside, since it did not blow up because of rough handling", Cyborg continued. "At least, none that were set to less than one hundred gees. But I can't be sure if there are no air pressure detectors. If the inside is under a different pressure, drilling even a tiny hole into it would cause them to activate the charges. We can't risk it. Gamma rays probably would not go through the shielding, same as the X-rays, and in any case they're too energetic and may damage the contents. I just can't see how to look inside it without opening it."

Robin thought for a while. He turned to Beast Boy. "How about a bacterium, BB? Or a virus?"

Beast Boy looked uncomfortable. "I hate those forms, dude. I can barely do anything in them because I have to spend too much time and effort just trying to remember who and what I am."

"Wouldn't work" Cyborg interjected. "The briefcase is sealed tight. A bacterium could not get in, DNA virions are still too large, and BB cannot morph into an RNA virion. Besides, how would he see anything? It's not like virions have eyes, or any other sensory equipment, for that matter."

It suddenly dawned on me. "Neutrinos!" I said out loud. The Titans looked at me, confused, but Cyborg's eye opened wide in understanding.

"Why didn't I think of that? You're a genius, Match!" he said, his anger at me forgotten. "You can't shield neutrinos! Even a force field would have to be so dense that the power source would be the size of the Tower."

His eyes focused inward, his mind concentrated on the problem, tuning out the rest of us. "We would need a neutrino source – not a problem, any nuclear reactor will do; hell, we can just use the sun's own neutrino stream. The problem will be the detector. There are only a handful of those in the world, and they are set up as astronomical observation units, not something that can be used to peek into a small briefcase…"

He suddenly frowned. "S.T.A.R. Labs in Gotham has recently created a small detector that could be what we are looking for. I remember a press release that they published a couple of months ago. They also have several small reactors of different types."

I scowled. Gotham was out of the question. "I am not taking that briefcase anywhere near the Justice League."

Everybody in the room started talking at the same time. The comments ranged from surprise at my reaction, through intents of convincing me that I was making a mistake, to the questioning of my legal status; all mingling into a meaningless babble. I started to get angry. I rose from the couch, ready to lash out, when Robin's voice cut through the jabbering.

"She's right!"

Everybody fell quiet. Robin got up from the couch and walked to the panoramic window to look through it, his back turned to us.

"Until we know more, we can't trust anyone with it."

"Dude, we're talking about the Justice League. _Justice_. _League_." Beast Boy said, confused. "I mean, if we cannot trust them –"

"I know more about them than any of you, and I say she's right." Robin said, still looking through the window.

Cyborg coughed. "Man, I'm not gonna get into the whys and wherefores, but it is the only option we have right now."

Robin turned to us. "We'll just have to do it inconspicuously" he said, a sly smile creasing his face. Then his face got serious. "But we will need some money. S.T.A.R. Labs is not known for its low prices to the general public."

"It should not be a problem" I said, before realizing my blunder. I nearly bit off my tongue, but I was now committed. "I made quite a… considerable sum on my latest assignment."

Robin looked at me, his sly smile returning. "Who said crime does not pay?" he smirked. "We'll try to cover as much as we can from our sources, but I suspect the lion's share will fall on you, Match."

I felt my face burning from the anger I felt at myself. Suddenly I realized the irony of it all and started laughing.

"At least we'll be using Slade's money against him", I said with a final chuckle.

* * *

"It will have to be Raven and Match", Robin concluded our discussion. "Cyborg and Beast Boy are too obvious, and Starfire is also noticeable, plus I don't think she'll be in her element in any kind of deception. I am also too well-known there."

I nodded. "I agree. The only thing I am not sure about is if we want the rest of you to hang out close by so that we have some kind of backup if necessary."

Robin shook his head. "Any indication that we're near Gotham would raise questions. Besides, the rest of us will be needed here just in case something happens. You will be on your own."

"I'm used to working solo. Raven, what do you think?"

"I'll be fine."

Robin rubbed his hands, satisfaction in his voice. "Good, I'm glad we all agree. I will make a couple of calls to some of my contacts and set up a meeting between you and S.T.A.R. Labs. Once I do that, we can plan your itinerary." He was all business, but obviously enjoying himself. "One last thing. You will be going in civvies – no cloaks, no hoods."

"That is a given" I said. Raven looked a bit uncomfortable, but said nothing.

We broke up for the afternoon. Robin went to make his calls, Starfire went to the kitchen, Beast Boy sat to play a video game and Raven levitated, in lotus position, reading a book. I noticed Cyborg leaving the Ops Room and I followed him quietly. He took the elevator down. I followed down the stairs, gliding on a disk that I summoned, and picked up his trail as he entered the garage.

I stood at the door while he busied himself working on a car that was raised on a hydraulic hoist in the middle of the workshop section. He still had not seen me. I sauntered over.

"A force mesh under the armor would guard against a similar problem it in the future." I told him. "Also you could save a lot of weight since you would need a lot less plating."

He started, hitting his head with a metallic clang on the underside of the car. I laughed. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

He looked at me, rubbing his head. It was probably a reflex action, because there was no way he could have felt pain. His human eye was looking at me thoughtfully. At least there was no more hostility in it.

"You followed me?" he asked. I nodded.

"Unfinished business", I explained.

He frowned. "I don't recall anything starting that had to be finished"

It was my turn to frown. "I came bearing an olive branch. If you don't want it, too bad."

I turned to leave as he spoke. "Wait. Match, I… It's OK. I'm not mad at you. At least, not any more."

I turned back to look at him. "Could've fooled me" I said.

He chuckled. "We already have one Raven, thank you very much." I raised an eyebrow. He chuckled again, shaking his head, then his face got serious.

"Look, it's not that I'm angry at you. I was, when you dismembered me. But I had the time – we all had the time – to check the video surveillance feeds and we also knew what happened with Robin at the airport. If you wanted to kill me I wouldn't be standing here talking to you."

I nodded, agreeing and encouraging him to go on.

"It's just that… I like you. I think we all do. But I just can't reconcile that with your actions. One moment you're compassionate, the next one you're ruthless. One day you spare our lives, the next you coldly sacrifice someone just to get information. I just can't pin you down, and it makes me anxious."

"How old are you? You seem to be the oldest in the group."

"Twenty. And I am."

"You will see a lot more of the world soon enough. You're used to black and white, but out there you only have shades of grey. This is why I don't like the Justice League. They try so hard to be 'good' that they lose sight of the real world that they're trying to protect. This is why I work alone. I do things by my own code and I answer only to my conscience."

I sat down on a crate. "I already said I am not Snow White. I do what I think I have to do at the moment when I have to do it. What you know and what you've seen is only the tip of the iceberg. But it keeps me alive, even though it can – and it does – haunt me later. But I would rather be haunted than rotting in a coffin."

He looked at me for a couple of seconds, then he spoke. "I guess you just haven't found something worth sacrificing for" he said quietly.

I closed my eyes. His remark was too close for comfort. I thought about the last few days, opened my eyes again, looked at him. "Maybe I have."

He nodded. "Maybe you have." He then walked from under the car and straightened, looking at me. "Now what were you saying about that force mesh?"

* * *

We chartered a private plane for the trip. A standard airline would have been a lot cheaper but it left too many open ends and too much information on the loose. Also, getting the briefcase through security would have been a difficult proposition.

The crew was informed that they were taking the youthful CEO of a new Internet company to Gotham, together with her younger sister. The fact that Raven and me looked like anything but sisters made me a bit anxious, but at least the rest of the cover story was good enough. I would have to trust in the power of the dollar to assuage any misgivings on part of the crew. In any case, the cover story had to hold only for twenty-four hours. By then the job should be done and we would be back in Jump City.

Raven was wearing a conservative outfit, jeans, sneakers and a black sweater. The only throwback to her well-known image was a silver link chain belt with several large red carnelian stones set at regular intervals in it. She also wore a tennis sweatband around her forehead to hide her jewel. I felt a pang of jealousy looking at her. Even though the jeans and sweater were not tight, they showcased her figure nicely, and for some reason the belt around her slim waist looked positively alluring.

I was in a tailored business suit, fully equipped with a tie. I hated the thing with a passion. How could men stand wearing it? It felt as if it was cutting the flow of blood into my brain. I was certain my IQ dropped twenty points as soon as I put it on. I also wore gold-rimmed glasses with no correction. From farther away I would look like an efficient secretary, but the tailored suit, silk tie, hand-made, high-heeled pumps and designer glasses told everyone that I was quite above that pay grade.

We sat down in our seats and the flight attendant brought us coffee. Unsurprisingly, considering the price we were paying, it was excellent. We both relaxed as the aircraft started rolling on the runway, taking off.

We were flying for about an hour. Raven was reading a book, while I leafed through the _Financial Times_ , just to keep up appearances, not really interested in the articles. The cabin was well shielded from the roar of the engines and only a faint vibration could be felt. I closed my eyes, trying to sleep, but sleep eluded me. I straightened the back of my seat a little bit and looked at Raven.

She looked content, composed, serene. How would she react in a difficult situation? In the few fights I saw her in I saw precious little, mostly because I was busy staying alive. It was time to find out.

"So, what's your story?"

Her eyes snapped up to look at me over the book she was reading. "Story?"

"Yeah, how did you end up with the Titans?"

She slowly took a page marker and placed it in the book where she left off. She closed it and looked at me. "I'm certain that you can find other things to do than to bother me, in case you're bored."

I grinned at her. "I thought I was the one with the temper."

She lifted an eyebrow. "I do not have a 'temper'"

"Just because you keep it suppressed doesn't mean you don't have it."

"Isn't that the definition of the word? Unsuppressed reaction to a certain situation?"

"Maybe in a textbook" I said, still grinning.

She rolled her eyes and opened her book again. I placed a hand on hers, stopping her.

"You certainly don't suppress your words" I told her, my face getting serious. "Do you think there is a big difference between a snarky, hurtful remark and a screamed string of obscenities? If there is, I can certainly tell which one hurts more."

A tiny spark of anger flashed in her eyes, disappearing almost instantly. "Then let us just say that I prefer to comment rather than to 'scream obscenities'."

"Why do you clamp down on your emotions so hard?"

She sighed in exasperation. "If you must know, my magic is fueled by emotions. If I relax my control, it can and will cause… unintended consequences."

"Who cares?"

"What?"

I had her confused. Good. "I said, who cares? About the consequences."

Her pale cheeks colored. "I… I don't want…"

I was still holding her hand. I brought up anger and disappointment in myself, projecting it into her. "So you place limits on yourself."

"No, it's not like that, I…"

"You control your emotions, and your power. You limit yourself."

"Yes, but not that way –"

I cut her off with a dismissive gesture. I had to keep her off-balance. "If you don't allow yourself to test your limits, you will never be able to go beyond them."

The anger and confusion were now evident in her eyes. "If you would let me explain –"

"You use telekinesis, don't you?"

The sudden change in topics confused her even more. "Yes, I use part of my soul to –"

"So you lied to me."

"What? No, I…"

I almost had her where I wanted her. She was angry, confused, frustrated, her rational mind not working properly.

"Yes, you did. You did not control your emotions. You used them, a lot."

"No, you don't understand…"

"Oh, but I do! I saw you throwing a car at Slade."

I locked her eyes mercilessly in my gaze, allowing my coldest, most ruthless part to surface and making sure she felt it. Her hand trembled. "The cold, calm, rational thing to do was to kill him."

"No, not that …"

"But it is the rational thing to do, isn't it? Solve the problem with minimum effort?"

"No!"

She was ripe. I swooped in for the kill. "For a tenth of the power that you used, you could've snapped his spine. Or turned his brain to mush. Or ripped his heart out of his chest."

"NO!" she shouted. Her eyes blazed white, her fingers curling into talons, leaving deep, bleeding gouges in my hand. "I will not do that! You will NOT MAKE ME, FATHER!"

The tables around us rattled. There was a loud snap and the emergency oxygen masks fell from the containers above. The empty coffee mugs burst into shards, the spoons falling to the floor, tinkling.

"Shhhh! Relax." I said softly, releasing the very real compassion I felt and letting it flow into her. Her eyes returned to their normal, violet color. Her fingers relaxed. She was gasping. "What are you doing?" she asked hoarsely.

"Testing you" I told her coldly.

Her breathing calmed. She closed her eyes, her lips moving slightly, as if reciting a mantra. After a few seconds, she opened them again and looked at me.

"Did I pass?" she asked in her normal, matter-of-fact voice.

"It was not a pass-fail test. I needed to know what I could expect of you." I wrapped a handkerchief around my bleeding hand.

She kept her eyes on mine. "And they tell me that _I_ am cold."

I looked at her, relaxing back into my seat. "Live and learn, Raven. Live and learn."

She took her book and opened it. I leaned over and took her hand again. She looked at me. "Now what?"

"Can you feel me?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry. I really am. It had to be done. For what it's worth, I didn't enjoy it."

I released her hand and lowered the back of my seat, making myself comfortable. She was still looking at me when I closed my eyes and went to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

As we left the plane, the crew bade us farewell, apparently unfazed by the mess we left in the cabin. I realized that in comparison with other "youthful CEOs of new Internet companies" we were quite tame.

A nondescript rental was waiting for us at the airport. We got in and I started driving. I glanced at Raven. She was looking through the window at the city passing by, not really seeing it.

"Something's bothering you" I commented. "I hope it is not our recent… conversation."

"No."

I saw no sense in pursuing the matter further. If she wanted to talk, she would.

After a couple of miles of silence, she spoke.

"Is money really that important to you?"

I looked at her. She had her violet eyes on mine, calm and expressionless as usual. I returned my gaze to the road.

"It is not the money."

"What, then?"

"My independence. Money is only the means for me to achieve it."

"Why?"

I kept driving, watching the road. I did not really want to answer that. I sighed.

"I guess I owe you something after what I did." I glanced at her. She was still looking at me.

Returning my attention to the road, I started talking.

"I'm an orphan, raised in an orphanage since I was a baby. Never knew who my parents were. The orphanage was not really a bad place. Oh, I guess my childhood wasn't great, but it was certainly better than many. I did not have my power then. It started appearing when I was about thirteen years old. It was probably activated by hormones."

I paused in my talk to pull into the fast lane, overtaking a lumbering eighteen-wheeler.

"As I became aware of my power, I made the mistake of confiding in some of my friends at the orphanage." I sighed. "There are few creatures as cruel as children. I was teased and bullied mercilessly for weeks, because I was different. I finally snapped and went after the worst bully, slashing his face. There was blood all over the place. I was terrified of what I did, which saved his life."

"They locked me up. Many grown-ups came to ask me stupid questions. At first I tried to answer them, but soon I grew tired of it and refused to say a single word more. Finally, some military types came and took me to a research facility."

I concentrated on my driving, letting my story flow undisturbed. "The very first day they started their experiments on me. I ran away from there that same night. They were either careless or they didn't realize what I could do. I cut myself free and made holes in the walls until I got outside. They searched for me, but I was able to slip away."

"I roamed the streets for a couple of days. A guy found me and offered me food and a roof over my head. I was young and stupid and I accepted. He turned out to be a pimp. He had me on drugs and selling my body in less than a week."

"You don't have to go on" Raven said softly. I ignored her.

"I depended on him. For the drugs, the food, clothes, shelter. Even for the little kindnesses he would toss my way as if he were tossing a dog a bone."

My fingers around the steering wheel were white, but I was feeling far away, as if it was someone else, separate from me that was telling the story. I continued.

"Since that fateful day in the orphanage I was disgusted with blood and I kept my power secret. I endured two years of hell with the pimp, but one night he slapped me once too many times. It pushed me over the edge. I called on my power and I killed him. I killed him and I cut him up, and then I hid."

"One of the cops that were on the murder scene found me, hiding in the basement. I was lucky. He was a good person, the rare cop that did his job because he believed in helping people. He kept me out of the investigation, took me to his home, helped me kick the drugs."

I felt tears welling in my eyes. I took a deep, shuddering breath.

"I never found out if he knew that I killed the pimp. He never mentioned it. A few months later he was killed by a gang while he was responding to an armed robbery."

"I was not yet sixteen. On that day I realized that everyone I depended on had sooner or later let me down, abandoned me or died. I was not going to make that mistake again. I was never going to depend on anyone again."

"I hunted down the gang that killed him. I found his killer. He died slowly. I caught the rest of the gang alive, turned them in, got my reward. I realized I could do this for a living. I never looked back."

I realized my hands were still clutching the steering wheel in a death-grip. A detached, logical part of my mind located a rest stop on the highway. I pulled over, got out of the car and stood there, staring at nothing, trying to calm myself.

I heard Raven's door open and her steps crunching on the gravel. I turned my head away, not wanting her to see me with my eyes streaming with tears. I felt her hand on my shoulder.

I whipped around, a blade forming without conscious thought in my right hand.

"Keep your hands off me!" I hissed at her. She stepped back, looking at me, but there was no fear in her eyes. Only… No. I didn't want to know what was there. I turned my back to her again and spoke over my shoulder.

"Just give me a minute. Please."

"Match…"

"I don't want your pity and I don't need your compassion!" I barked, still turned away from her. My tears stopped flowing. I dried my eyes and turned to face her.

"I will be all right. Let's go."

* * *

We arrived at S.T.A.R. Labs just ahead of time. It was good that we did, because we had to go through several layers of security before we were finally ushered into a conference room, to wait there for our contact.

Raven paced the room. She looked nervous. She finally pointed at my tablet. I unlocked it and gave it to her. She quickly typed a short text in it and gave it back to me.

 _Room probably bugged_

I looked at her message, then at her. I typed a response.

 _Agreed. Problem?_

She typed back.

 _I sense something bad. Need physical contact to sense more, but can feel storm brewing._

Just as I read her message, the door opened and a smiling guy in a lab coat walked in. He shook hands with me, introducing himself, then walked over to Raven and offered his hand.

The change in her appearance was astounding. She was all smiles, shaking the guy's hand for a prolonged time, gushing about how excited she was to be here. The guy was slightly confused, not noticing that she was holding his hand a lot longer than what was necessary for a usual greeting. I kept a small smile on my face as Raven finally returned the guy's hand to him and we all sat down.

"So, I understand that you want to use our neutrino detector to peer inside something that cannot be opened?"

As he spoke, Raven grabbed the tablet and started typing. The guy never noticed her, probably used to seeing teens with their noses deep in smartphones and tablets.

I replied noncommittally, drawling my words to give Raven time to finish her typing. As she dropped the tablet on the conferencing table, I took it, still talking to him.

"… Of course, I have it ready here on the tablet, to give you an overview…"

I read what Raven typed and froze.

 _Danger. We must leave. Now._

I lifted my eyes to look at our host. As I did that, the door exploded inwards, fragments of it flying through the room. Instinctively, I created a force disk over the door, stopping whatever was outside from getting in. I grabbed the briefcase. A huge black fist smashed our host into the wall where he slumped, unconscious.

 _Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!_ Raven cried. A black, ghostly bird formed around her. I was pulled under its wing and darkness descended over me.

Sunlight stabbed back in my eyes. I realized we were on the parking lot, beside our rental. I opened the door and jumped behind the wheel, Raven hopping in beside me. "Drive!" she shouted at me.

I started the engine and drove with a screech of tires towards the exit. Uniformed men started pouring from the building we were in, carrying assault rifles pointed our way. Several of them kneeled, brought up their assault rifles and let go. Bullets started impacting around, several striking the car.

"I'll take care of them, just drive us out!" she shouted at me. I didn't reply. I was already hitting fifty, aiming the car at the yellow-and-black barrier obstructing our path. I created two disks and propelled them towards the barrier at the checkpoint, cutting it at both ends. The stricken beam fell and I drove over it to take the highway entrance. More gunfire erupted behind us. I glanced at the rearview mirror, seeing a large, black disk protecting us from the bullets. Raven was true to her word. I concentrated on driving.

I was already thinking that we managed to get away when two explosions nearby rocked the car, almost making me lose control. Raven stuck her head through the window, then shouted at me "Chopper!"

I started zig-zagging, trying to present a difficult target. More explosions shook the car, fortunately they were again near-misses. Raven shouted her mantra and flew through the roof of the car, ghost-like. After a few seconds she returned to the seat, buckling her seat belt. I saw the chopper in the mirror, turning around, losing altitude.

"What did you do?"

"I disabled their engines. If the pilot is any good, they will land by autorotation."

"Watch for cars chasing. This is not the fastest thing on the highway."

My mind was working furiously. The drive to Jump City would take several hours, and all that time we would be vulnerable to pursuit on land and from the air. Our jet was waiting at the airport, but the take-off procedure required time and whoever was after us would certainly cover airports and train and bus stations to try and intercept us.

I decided on the airport. I shouted to Raven, who was turned around, looking for pursuit. "I am going for the airport. We will try to get into our plane and take off as if nothing happened. If they don't spot us we have a chance!"

"Do it!" she shouted back over the roar of the engine and the air rushing in through the opened window.

I drove on, trying to press the pedal through the floor. I weaved in and out of lanes, overtaking slower vehicles. I realized that soon we would have the cops also on our tail, but there was nothing I could do about it.

"Heads up!" I heard Raven shout. I glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed three black SUVs barreling after us, each one with its sun roof open, a guy with an assault rifle poking his upper body though it.

I swerved into the right-hand lane and in front of a large Greyhound bus. It would hide us from sight for a few moments. I searched the road ahead to plan my next moves. The car's engine was roaring, the rev meter going into yellow and approaching red. I knew that when the revs got to the red zone, the engine's fail-safe would cut the flow of fuel and the engine would stall for a few seconds. This was not a car made for highway chases.

I forced my foot to slowly allow the pedal to rise half an inch from the floor. My eyes were shifting constantly from the RPM meter to the road ahead. I kept the needle in the yellow zone, while weaving through the traffic. The airport was getting close.

A burst of gunfire blasted through the back side of a car ahead of us. The trunk hood flew up in the air, spinning. The fuel ignited, the car fireballed. I gritted my teeth and drove through the fire and smoke, expecting to smash into the stricken car any moment. We got lucky and our car just grazed the still-spinning wreck as we blazed, trailing smoke and fire, through the expanding lake of burning fuel.

"I'll try something!" I shouted to Raven. I glanced in the mirror and created a large, horizontal disk in front of the nearest SUV. In another second it would slice it in two, together with all its occupants.

"NO!" Raven screamed, a large black fist slamming on my disk, punching it into the ground. The SUV drove over it, unharmed. She turned to me, eyes blazing white. "No killing!"

I was both astonished and furious. "It's us or them, Raven!"

"I don't care!" she shouted back. I shook my head, still furious with her, but unable to do anything except drive and make sure we didn't crash.

"OK, let's try something else! Give me support to make a ramp!"

She glanced at me, understanding what I wanted. I created a disk in front of the nearest SUV again, but this one was angled like a ramp, the part closer to them biting into the pavement. Raven created a black pillar beneath it, supporting the elevated part of the disk. The SUV ran into it, the driver swerving, trying to avoid it, but it was too late. The left side wheels climbed the disk and the SUV flew in the air, turning almost a full circle, to drop down on the pavement on its left-hand side, bouncing as its momentum caused it to tumble several times before it finally stopped, upside down, spinning on its roof.

The other two SUVs approached, assault rifles blazing at us from every window. Raven kept a shield in front of each, intercepting the bullets. I wondered how long she could keep it up.

"Can you crash the other two into each other?" I shouted at her over the rush of wind and the roar of the engine.

"Not while I have to keep the shields up!"

"I'll take over shielding, you smash them! Wait until I say!"

I scanned the road ahead for a small stretch of unoccupied space. I quickly located it and went for it. I had about two hundred feet of clear road ahead, which should give me a few seconds. I looked in the mirror and shouted "NOW!"

I created a shield behind us, keeping one eye on the road, the other on the mirror. I miscalculated, the shield biting into the pavement and leaving a long furrow in it as we dragged it along. It felt as if something was trying to pull my brain through the back of my head. The pain was awful. I thought I saw a black outline around the closest SUV, lifting it into the air and tossing it onto the other one. The pain in my head rose to a blinding agony as I still dragged my shield behind us, plowing up the pavement. I screamed and lost consciousness.

I woke up feeling Raven gently slapping my face. I lifted a hand to stop her and shook my head. I regretted it immediately. I moaned, my hands going to my head. I felt Raven's hands on mine and heard her voice.

"Shhhh. Calm down. Let me help."

I allowed her to take my hands off my head and replace them with hers. Warmth spread from her fingers towards where a white-hot hole saw was drilling into my skull. The agony turned to pain, the pain to a dull ache. I took a deep, shuddering breath. I opened my eyes.

We were in the fields beside the road. Cars were whizzing by, oblivious to us. Looking back, I saw the overturned remains of our car and the SUVs some five hundred feet back.

"What happened? How –"

"I teleported us before we crashed. What happened to you?"

"The disk… It was biting into the pavement, my mind was trying to drag it behind us… It hurt…"

"I see. Interesting."

"Not a word I would use" I said, suddenly angry.

Her hand cupped my cheek. "You'll be fine. Let's go."

The airport was close by. I created a disk and glided towards it, while she flew leisurely beside me. As we got to the airport she landed and I jumped off my disk, dismissing it. Many people noticed us, and several of them had their smartphones pointed at us, filming. Not good, but couldn't be helped.

We quickly found our jet and requested an immediate takeoff. The crew did not ask any questions, probably already used to the comings and goings of top-level executives. We barely had time to sit and strap ourselves in when the plane started moving onto the tarmac, ready to take off.

In a few minutes we were airborne, heading for Jump City. I looked at the briefcase darkly. So many problems over such a small thing. What is it that's inside?

"We'll be home soon" Raven commented. There was a slight twinge of apprehension in her voice and her eyes. I nodded grimly.

"I hope they – whoever 'they' are – don't have access to fighter jets. I don't relish the thought of being shot from the sky."

"Yes. I am worried about the same thing" she replied.

I dropped the backrest of my seat down and relaxed. "No sense torturing ourselves with it. Let's cool down and enjoy the flight while we can."

She actually smiled at me and also relaxed in her seat. The flight attendant soon brought us coffee.

"I'm usually a tea person, but this coffee is great" Raven commented.

"For what we're paying, it'd better be!" I growled.

She smiled again, looking at me over the rim of her cup. I looked back at her. "Did you teleport us out of the building, also? I am not sure what happened."

She put her cup down. Her movements were studied and restrained, but also graceful and delicate. I liked her more every minute.

"Yes. The only way out was through the door, and it was blocked by your disk and whoever was trying to get in."

"And couldn't you just have us teleported straight to the Tower?"

She shook her head. "It is not an easy thing for me to do, and the target location has to be relatively close by. It also depends on how many others I try to carry with me."

"So we both have limits to what we can do." I said wryly. I rubbed the back of my head self-consciously, even though the pain was gone. "This has never happened to me before."

"Your mind creates the force fields and places them where you wish" she said. "But it needs to be aware of them to maintain their existence."

I nodded. "That's right."

"So, when the disk started being pulled back forcefully, your mind felt like it was being pulled together with it. It was not real, but you thought it was."

"Good to know."

"Don't be flippant. The danger to yourself was as real as it could get. Maybe your brain wasn't really being pulled out of the back of your head, but the consequences would have been the same if you didn't pass out."

"You're telling me that my imagination almost killed me?"

"Oversimplified, but accurate. You must be more careful in the future." There was a note of genuine concern in her voice.

"You seem to know a lot about this 'mind over matter' stuff. Is it similar to your power?"

"Our powers are completely different, but they both come from inside us."

I sat silent, looking into my coffee cup, pondering what she told me.

"Match?"

I lifted my eyes to hers.

"I'm sorry I… I went against you. I just can't…"

"No. If anyone should be sorry it is me." I took her hand. "You have a strong sense of morality. That can't be bad. I wish I could share it. Maybe, with time, I will."

I released her hand and relaxed back, closing my eyes. "I will try to sleep."

I tried to let myself go and fall asleep, but even with my eyes closed I felt a certain tension coming from her. I opened one eye and looked at her. There was a haunted look in her eyes. I opened both eyes and gazed at her carefully. Her eyes met mine and the haunted look disappeared, to be replaced by her usual calm, serene expression.

"You wanted something?" I asked, just to be sure.

She dropped her gaze, a slight smile on her face. "Nothing I would care to talk about."

I looked at her for a few moments more, then realized she was not going to open up, at least not soon. I relaxed back, closed my eyes, and slept.

* * *

As luck would have it, we weren't intercepted by fighters nor did anyone shoot at us as we left the aircraft. We took the opportunity to change into our working clothes, both of us feeling uncomfortable in civvies. I put on some loose pants and equally loose shirt, replacing the high-heeled pumps with much more comfortable rubber-soled suede shoes, completing the outfit with my favorite hooded cape. Raven got back into her leotards and her blue hooded cloak. We both pulled our hoods over our heads. I winked at her.

"Rent a car or fly?" I asked her.

"Let's fly. I'm sick of being cooped up in one vehicle or another."

I grinned, conjured a disk, hopped onto it and set off for the Tower. She flitted beside me.

"Can you make that thing go any faster?"

"Nope. Fifty, sixty tops. Still a lot better than walking!"

She smiled at me, and putting on a burst of speed, flew away. She zipped around buildings and looped several times before returning to flit beside me as I plodded along.

"Stretching out?" I asked, a grin on my face.

She smiled back. "Starfire does it all the time. I picked it up from her. It is quite… exhilarating."

I lifted my eyebrow. "What happened to that iron chain you have wrapped around your emotions? What about the 'unintended consequences'?"

"Who cares?" she said, smiling wickedly, as she left me for another bout of stunt flying.

I sighed, overwhelmed by a curious feeling. I was so glad for her.


	10. Chapter 10

Raven soon rejoined me after finishing her 'stretching out' flight. We plodded along towards the Tower at a sedate fifty miles per hour, the fastest I can go on a disk with any semblance of comfort. We were flying over the roof of a large, wide building. I swept my eyes over the sprawling city, enjoying the sense of freedom that flight can bring to anyone, when a grenade blew up just beneath my disk.

The concussion was blocked by the disk, but I was thrown up, turning head over heels, disoriented, the disk vanishing. I started falling, trying desperately to find my bearings and create a disk below me, but I couldn't tell which way was down. Part of me realized that by the time I could make sense of my directions, I would be a red stain on the building's roof.

A black mist formed around me and I was deposited, not quite gently, on top of the roof. The mist cleared and I caught a glimpse of Raven descending, her hands still encased in that black, magical aura. I flashed her a grin and a thumbs-up and then quickly turned to scan my surroundings, trying to find out who or what attacked us.

As I was searching, I heard Raven's cry, suddenly cut off. I whipped around, just to see her falling down, slamming onto the roof. I conjured a disk, hopped onto it and sped over to where she fell.

I jumped off the disk and kneeled beside her. She was conscious but obviously dazed by the fall. She must have fallen some ten feet, enough to rattle your teeth, or even break something if you didn't fall right. But that concern was secondary right now. She was wrapped up completely in some sort of red material, like a fabric, shaped like an X, which hugged her all around and immobilized both her arms and partly her legs. There was another, much smaller red X over her mouth, not allowing her to chant her mantra. I quickly created a blade and sliced carefully into the constricting material, being mindful of not hurting her.

I had already cut through the fabric holding her right arm and I was just going to free her left arm, when I heard a mocking voice behind me.

"You know, I always admired you, Match."

I spun around, lengthening the blade and creating another one in my left hand. I was treated to the sight of a young man in a black costume, a red X mark on his chest. He had a mask or helmet shaped like a skull, again with the same stylized red X on his forehead.

"You have a strange way of showing it" I told him as I circled around him. He looked like a young version of Slade, standing there with his legs set wide, his arms slightly forward, his fists closed but not clenched. But that was where the similarity ended. Whoever faced Slade could not but remember the sheer power that emanated from him, the sense of danger and menace that was almost palpable. This guy only radiated a self-assuredness that bordered on arrogance. He had a lot to learn. I would gladly teach him.

"You would be Red X" I told him. "I heard about you. Flashy threads."

He bowed tauntingly. "Not as flashy as your cape."

I felt my anger rising. "Don't you dare say it" I told him.

"Why, Match, I would never do anything to anger you!" he said in his mocking voice. "I am your greatest fan! I wouldn't dream of calling you Li –"

He had to shut up so that he could duck the two disks that were slicing towards him.

I followed the disks, laying into him with my blades. "Did Slade hire you?" I asked as I stabbed my left blade towards his chest.

"Come, now, Match" he said as he twisted to avoid my stab, his voice still taunting me. "You know we're not supposed to –" as he spun, his right hand clenched into a fist, arcing for my head. "– disclose who the client is!"

I ducked under his strike and stabbed again with my right blade. He didn't have time to dodge, but his left hand came down, a ghostly X glowing in his palm. He struck my blade with it and deflected it. Not expecting this, I staggered forward, losing my balance for a split second. His right hand came down in a slashing motion, his palm open, to strike me in the neck behind my head. I pushed myself with my legs, using the momentum of my stagger as a starting point to jump forward and roll over my shoulder, his strike missing and hitting painfully but harmlessly on my shoulder blade. I sprung up to my feet and spun around throwing two disks at him, just to keep him away until I could get my bearings back.

We circled each other warily. "But to answer your question, no. Nobody hired me" he spoke.

"So you want it for yourself" I said, almost casually tossing a couple of disks at him. He dodged them just as casually and nodded.

"It's worth a lot of money."

"Idiot!" I shouted as I threw two more disks his way, springing in after them, slashing with my blades. "Why do you think I broke that contract?"

He dodged the first disk and swatted the other from the air with the X-shaped force field in his palm. He blocked my right blade and twisted to avoid the left one, continuing the turn to deliver a roundhouse kick to my head. I saw it coming and dropped down, my right leg lashing out to undercut him. He nimbly jumped up, letting my leg sweep under his foot, but I was ready. I twisted my body around and delivered a kick upwards with my left leg, catching him in the belly. He saw my attack and tried to spin away from it, but he was too slow. My kick connected and he rode it, using its momentum to fall back a few steps and catch his breath.

"I love your eyes when you're angry" he said, still mocking, but there was an almost imperceptible wince to his eyes as he said it. Speaking probably hurt. I grinned maliciously.

I went after him to capitalize on my advantage. He blocked my blades with the X-shaped force fields in his palms and tried to deliver a kick to my midsection. He forgot that his own belly was still tender and winced at the pain, unconsciously slowing his leg. This gave me time to spin away from it, starting a windmill cut with both blades extended.

As my first blade approached him, Raven's face flashed in my mind. I twisted the blades so as to strike him with the flat of the blade and not the edge. I shouldn't have bothered.

He ducked under the first blade and blocked the second one with his glowing X, jabbing his left fist into my kidneys. His strike was weakened because he didn't have the space to swing fully, but it still hurt like hell. I twisted away from him, breathing heavily, holding my side. He smirked, the arrogance returning to his eyes.

I got angry and launched myself at him. He dodged and deflected the disks I threw at him, waiting until I was close to fire a couple of X-shaped shurikens at me. This took me by surprise and I barely managed to cut one down and swat the other aside before he was upon me. He was much smaller than Slade, but he still had the advantage of weight and strength over me. He carried us both to the ground, pinning me down with his body, holding my wrists with his hands. He lowered his face until my nose could almost touch his mask and whispered "Rawr!"

That was it. Raven or no Raven, he was dead. I created a disk beside his head and sent it spinning at him. Luckily for him, as I created the disk I had to swivel my eyes to see where it was. He followed my gaze and realized his danger. He sprang up, releasing me, his right leg kicking my head.

I rolled sideways, managing to evade most of the kick, but his sole still left a painful, burning, bloody scrape on my temple. I shook my head to clear it from the white sparks dancing in front of my eyes and faced him again, adrenaline pumping through my veins.

He came at me, shooting an X-shaped something from his left palm. I had no idea what it was, nor did I care. I cut it out from the air with an outward sweep of my left blade, using the motion of my shoulders and hips to follow with a stab with the right-hand one. His left hand snaked down, a glowing X on its palm ready to deflect my stab downwards just like before, but this time I was ready for it. As his hand streaked on its way I dismissed the blade. His palm sailed through empty air, staggering him, his eyes widening as he realized he fell into my trap. My fist continued, now bladeless, to smash wrist-deep into his belly. He bent over as his breath whooshed out, in perfect position for me to knee him in the mask. He was thrown a few steps back, falling heavily.

He got to his feet quickly, gasping. My eyes narrowed; he seemed capable of absorbing a lot of punishment. Few opponents would have been left standing after such a combo.

He lifted his arms and two X-shaped projectiles sped from his open palms at me, but I blocked them with a defensive disk. I then flipped the disk around and sent it spinning like a buzzsaw towards him. He sidestepped it and tried to get closer to me, just to see two more disks heading his way, one above the other. He jumped forward between the disks, one of them slicing off a small part of his cape as he fell in a forward roll, jumping up to his feet almost in front of me, his left hand a blur closing with my head.

I grinned in his face. As his fist drew closer, a disk materialized in front of it. I braced my mind for the impact. His fist struck the disk. My mind felt the blow, almost staggering me, but it was a lot better than receiving the actual hit. His hand, however, could not make such a claim.

He fell back, holding his left wrist, looking at me, the cockiness finally leaving his eyes.

My grin widened even more. "Now you know why you admire me" I told him.

He fumbled with something on his belt and suddenly disappeared. I looked around, concerned, searching for him. Suddenly he materialized twenty feet away, where I had to drop the briefcase so that I could fight him. I was too far away. I started running towards him, cursing myself for my carelessness, but I knew I would never get there in time.

His hand went down to grab the briefcase, just as a black nimbus formed around it. He sprang back, surprised. Raven was advancing towards him, free from all the constraints he threw at her previously. He glanced at me, still running at him, then back at Raven, realizing he was now in deep trouble. He gave us a mocking bow.

"Ladies, if you'll excuse me?" With that he disappeared for good.

I got to the briefcase and picked it up, turning to Raven. "Good to see you managed to free yourself!"

"Oh, I did that almost immediately. We had a run-in with Red X previously; he already caught me once before with that trick. I made a point of learning how to get rid of his wrappings quickly since."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, thanks for nothing, then!"

"You didn't look like you needed help" she said, a beatific smile on her face.

"You're getting too smart for your own good, young lady" I told her, only half-joking.

"I had a good teacher" she smirked.

* * *

We realized that we made a blunder by not calling the rest of the Titans immediately to escort us to the Tower. Raven picked up her communicator and contacted Robin to explain our situation and request assistance.

Less than ten minutes later, the four of them were at our side. I waved away all their questions.

"This is not a good place to chat. Let's get back to the Tower and we'll fill you in."

I glided on my disk towards the Tower, Raven and Starfire flitting on my flanks, Beast Boy covering our backs. Robin and Cyborg were driving beneath us, trying to keep up as best they could. We soon arrived without further incidents and we all gathered in the Ops Room.

I sat beside Raven on the couch and told them the whole story, glancing at Raven every now and then to make sure I did not miss anything. Of course, I skipped the more personal conversations that Raven and I had. There was no need for them to know. Raven didn't mind me doing so.

"So we're back at square one!" Robin growled, frustrated. "How did they know you were coming?"

"I can think of several ways. The aircraft charter information could have leaked; someone might have had the airport under observation and noticed us, either here or in Gotham; we may also have been followed since we left the Tower. It is even possible that they knew that a neutrino scan would reveal the contents of the briefcase and they covered all the possible labs that we could approach. There are not many of those kicking around, after all."

I did not mention another possibility. I knew what their reaction would be and I didn't want to waste my time fighting them.

Robin shook his head, dismissing it all. "It really doesn't matter. We need to find a way to look inside it." He turned to Cyborg. "Can you whip up a detector yourself?"

Cyborg frowned, pondering. "I could do it, but it will take time. I'd say two weeks at the earliest, but easily a lot more than that. There's the issue of shielding, and finding the ultra-pure germanium –"

"I'll leave the details to you" Robin cut him off. "I don't see anything else we can do. Let us use the time to think about other possibilities." He rose and left the Ops Room.

Cyborg looked at him leave, shrugged and got up to start on his new assignment. The other Titans, apparently used to their leader's moodiness, resumed their usual pastimes. I followed Robin.

I caught up with him before he entered his room. My rubber soles made no sound as I approached him and touched his shoulder. He spun around to face me, almost falling into defensive position, before recognizing me and relaxing.

"Sorry to startle you" I said.

"That's OK. You wanted to talk?"

I nodded. He opened the door to his room and gestured for me to come in.

I walked into his room. He followed, closing the door as I turned to face him. He stood in front of me, arms folded across his chest, waiting for me to speak. I lifted an eyebrow.

"Aren't you going to offer me a seat?"

"We both know this is not a social visit. What did you want?"

I realized he did not trust me. For a moment anger surged in me, then I remembered I'd behaved towards them in a very similar manner. I had no moral grounds to complain about his attitude.

I sighed, burying my anger. "Two things" I said. "First, there may be another reason why Raven and I were attacked in Gotham."

He nodded. "I know. Thanks for not bringing it up. I'm not sure if the others would understand. Do you suspect anyone in particular?"

Good. He was not a lost cause, after all. I shook my head. "All of you. Even Raven, though she was with me and had several opportunities to get the briefcase and run away with it. The possibility is vanishingly small, but it is there. Ignoring it can only bring problems."

"I agree and I will keep it in mind. And I will keep an eye on you."

"Good. You're learning."

"What was the other thing?"

"The other thing is that I may – just may – have someone that could help us. I wanted to ask you to spare Cyborg for a couple of hours so we can visit him, maybe bring him here to help."

His eyebrow shot up. "Do it. If you need him here, bring him."

I nodded my agreement and turned to leave.

"Match?"

I turned to face him.

"I don't want to lose that briefcase from my sight, and I know you feel the same. How about you stay here until we can clear this mess up? We have several spare rooms."

I gave him a sly smile. "And that way you can always keep your eye on me, right?"

He smiled back, a mischievous smile that went well with his youthful face. "Of course. And you can watch us, too."

Excellent. We understood each other perfectly. I laughed. "You have a deal" I told him.

I was just about to turn to leave when he touched my arm. I looked at his hand, then into his eyes. "I'm sure the others will be happy that you'll be staying" he said, softly.

I didn't blush, but it was a close call. I just nodded and left his room.

* * *

Visiting Darren with someone as conspicuous as Cyborg made any precautionary measures pointless. I just created a large levitating disk, helped Cyborg on board and we were off.

We reached Darren's house quickly enough. It was fairly early in the morning, and I knew Darren usually stayed until the wee hours working, but there was no helping it. I rang the bell.

After a while, a bleary, unshaven and very sleepy Darren opened the door. His eyes widened as he saw me, and then he saw Cyborg. I have never seen eyes so close to popping out of someone's head. Or someone's jaw drop so far down, for that matter.

"Darren? Would you mind picking up your jaw off the floor and letting us in?" I asked him. His eyes turned to me, his mouth closed, he snapped out of his daze.

"Yes… Yes, please! Come in, come in!"

We walked in. "This is Cyborg, of the Teen Titans" I introduced Cyborg, even though it was obviously unnecessary. "Cyborg, this is Darren."

"Hey, dude, great to meet you!" Cyborg offered him his metallic paw. Darren took it, stammering.

"Hey, I'm Cyborg… I mean, you're Darren…" he closed his eyes, forced himself to calm down, opened them again. "I'm Darren. This is really an honor. I am a great fan of the Titans!"

"I've noticed" Cyborg said dryly, but not unkindly. He frowned at me, but I could not help shaking with silent laughter while watching the entire scene.

Darren recovered fully and herded us to the living room, offering us seats while he sat on the armrest of an armchair. "What brings you to me?"

"We are working on a project" I told him. "We need someone that knows experimental neutrino physics. I know you're some kind of physicist, so I hoped you would be able to help us, or at least point us to the right person."

He raised his eyebrows. "What kind of project?"

"A small neutrino detector, high resolution" Cyborg explained. "Something like an X-ray machine, but using neutrinos."

Darren frowned. "I don't specialize in neutrinos. I'm working with dark matter, specifically WIMPs."

"Same thing, dude, they both interact only gravitationally with normal matter." Cyborg replied.

"Far from being the same thing. WIMPs have mass, while neutrinos barely react with the Higgs field –"

"I'll go make some coffee before my head starts hurting. You two guys have fun." I said, rubbing my temples and raising from the couch where I was sitting. I left them to their discussion and went to the kitchen.

I made coffee and returned to the living room carrying a tray with coffee, cream, sugar and mugs. I dropped it in front of them. They never noticed.

I poured coffee for Darren and myself. "How do you drink your coffee, Cy?" I asked. He was totally oblivious. They were already into discussing the shielding, detectors, photomultipliers and a bunch of other technical issues that went way over my head.

"Cyborg!" I shouted. They both started, looking at me. "Coffee. How?"

"Black, two sugars" he said, grinning. He turned to Darren. "Dude, how about you come with us to the Tower and we can continue there? Otherwise Match will make hamburgers out of us!"

"Right!" I scowled at them. "Boys!" I grumbled, shaking my head, pouring Cyborg his coffee.


	11. Chapter 11

The next couple of days passed uneventfully, at least for me. The Titans had a few alerts, but none of them were too serious. I smiled to myself remembering what happened when the first alert sounded. They all jumped up and ran for the door. Just before he left, Robin turned to me, an unspoken question on his face. I looked at him and shook my head. I don't work for free and he wasn't offering any rewards. Screw it.

Alone in the tower, I stared at the large-screen TV without really seeing it. Should I have gone with them? They did save my life, after all. But they didn't do it because of me, they did it to catch Slade. Or was it?

I shrugged it off. Even if they saved me out of the goodness of their hearts, it was the life they chose. My path was different. We had nothing in common in the way we did things. I'd be damned if I risked my life just to feel warm and fuzzy all over.

And yet I was unable to dismiss the nagging feeling in the back of my mind. I sighed, turned off the TV and went to my room.

It was late in the afternoon when they returned. They didn't seem too worn out, so I assumed that whatever it was it was not too difficult for them to handle. For some reason it made me feel better. As they filed in, Beast Boy and Cyborg were discussing loudly the toppings on the pizza they were going to order. I winced. Two days of subsisting exclusively on fast food was two days too long for me. I had an idea.

"Guys, I want to make a proposal!" I said loudly to catch their attention. They looked at me. "How about we skip the pizza for tonight and instead go to this Italian place I found near the hotel I used to stay? The food is great and the ambience is quite relaxing. My treat."

They glanced at each other. Robin turned to me, grinning. "Your treat? Sounds too good to pass up!"

Beast Boy was still looking somewhat unhappy. I beckoned to him with my finger. He strolled closer, still a little apprehensive of me since our first encounter, when I almost ripped his head from his shoulders.

I winked at him. "They do vegetarian. And vegan. And kosher. And I wouldn't be surprised if they did Buddhist!"

His ears perked up immediately. "Well, what're we waiting for, momma? Lead the way!"

I grinned at him, then looked at Cyborg. "Cy, can you drag Darren up here from the lab? He probably didn't even eat his lunch."

"I left him some pizza before the alert, but I have no idea if he even noticed it. I thought I could lose myself to solving a problem, but this guy beats me by two lengths!"

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Let's get some real food into him."

* * *

The place I took them to was not a high-profile, jet-set meeting spot, but it wasn't a hole in the wall either. It was quiet, subdued and the cook was a genius. And it had red checkered tablecloths. A real Italian restaurant had to have red checkered tablecloths. We tucked ourselves into a corner booth. I smiled as I watched them in their civvies. It was quite incongruous, the orange-skinned, flame-haired beauty in a stunning dress, the green-skinned guy with pronounced fangs in jeans and T-shirt, the pale girl in a comfortable, loose shirt and short skirt with a hooded cloak around her shoulders. The owner served us himself, proud of such celebrities visiting but understanding that we wished not to be too visible.

The food consumed, I relaxed back, swirling the last of my Carménère. Only Darren and I were of drinking age, not that it would bother me if the kids wanted to have any, but they preferred sodas, or in the case of Raven, just water. That left the two of us to share the whole bottle. Darren was flushed, but not slurring, so there should not be any problems with him. I had a slight buzz, but I could handle a lot more before I started getting impaired.

I let them do the talking, content to follow the conversation and enjoy the undercurrents of feelings flowing between them. It was obvious that they were very close to each other, practically a family. It was also painfully obvious to everyone what was going on between Robin and Starfire. To everyone except them, of course. I smiled and took a small sip of wine.

The atmosphere was relaxed, the conversation flowed easily and everybody was having a great time. So why did I suddenly feel a tiny twinge of jealousy? I shook my head, dismissing it. I chose this life myself. It had to be like that. I couldn't afford it any other way.

I felt Raven's eyes on me. I met her gaze, a small frown forming on my face. If I saw pity in her eyes I was going to get angry, and I didn't want to ruin such a pleasant evening. But her eyes were as usual, calm and serene. She understood and did not judge. I sent her a small, private smile as thanks.

* * *

We got back late. I went straight to my room, undressed and showered, already savoring the feeling of soft, clean blankets on my skin. I yawned and stretched. There was a soft knock on the door.

Startled, I put on a bathrobe and opened the door to see Starfire standing there, a blush on her face.

"Match? May I enter the premises?"

I was already accustomed to her strange vocabulary, so I just nodded and allowed her to get in.

"It is a bit late for social calls, Star. Is it something important?"

"No… Yes, it is, I wanted to have the conversation with you, seek the wisdom from you, because of your age and experience."

 _Gee, thanks, Starfire_. It was obvious she didn't mean it as an insult so I let it pass, making a mental note to later coach her on some of the finer points of social interaction on the planet Earth.

"I will gladly help, Star. What did you need?"

"I am unsure… how to proceed… with regards to the feelings that I have."

 _Oh, great. Just what I needed._

"Come here and sit beside me. It's about Robin, right?"

She blushed even more, flitted closer and sat on the bed beside me. "I hoped that you might know… the proper procedure…"

I put an arm around her shoulders. "Star. There is no 'proper procedure'. There are only feelings and the people we feel for. Also" – I tried to keep the sudden bitterness that seized me away from my voice – "you're asking the wrong person."

"Wrong person?" she asked, her glowing green eyes studying mine.

"Star, if you wanted to ask about sex, I could write you a book. Several, actually. But romantic feelings are not really my strong suit."

"I see" she said, her gaze dropping to the floor. Wonderful. I just made her evening. I felt like an idiot. I hugged her closer and tried to save what I could from the fiasco.

"Listen. There are no proper procedures, no recipes, no ceremonies involved. The only thing you have to do is to be yourself. Do what your heart tells you and follow where your feelings guide you, and you will never regret it. You may sometimes think it is hard to bear, but trust me when I tell you that not doing so will be even harder."

She looked at me again, the green glow returning to her eyes.

"Thank you" she said softly and hugged me. I returned her hug as her arms squeezed me ever tighter. I remembered that Starfire could bench-press a cement truck. Fully loaded. In each hand. I started to worry.

Luckily, she released me before she could snap my spine or crack my ribs. She kissed me on the cheek and flitted out of my room.

I sat on my bed, feeling miserable.

 _That's what you get from trying to help, you fool._

But I knew full well that was not the reason. Suddenly I understood what I needed. I got up and left my room, barefoot and in my bathrobe, going straight to Darren's room.

He opened the door in his pajamas, holding his toothbrush in his hand. I didn't say anything, just walked in, took his hand and guided him to his bed. The toothbrush fell to the floor, forgotten.

* * *

I was snuggled close to him, my head on his shoulder. He still appeared a bit dazed about what happened. I suppressed a giggle, but he felt the tiny movement and looked at me.

"Did you… I mean, how was it…?"

I placed my index finger on his lips. "You were great" I told him, the lie coming easily after being repeated so many times to so many others. But it was unimportant. I wasn't looking for sex, I just needed to feel someone close. I didn't want to sleep alone tonight.

He couldn't keep his mouth shut and just enjoy the moment. "You know, this was my first time" he said.

This time I couldn't suppress the giggle. I looked at him. "A virgin?" I asked, not really believing him.

He blushed and nodded.

"Not any more" I told him, kissing him. Suddenly I felt the need. "But in that case…" I said and started working on him again. We had a long night ahead of us.

* * *

Next morning I showered in his bathroom. As I stepped into the room, I saw him sitting on the bed, looking at me, his eyes shining.

 _Oh, shit._

I frowned and sat beside him. "Don't!" I told him coldly.

He started. "Don't what?"

"Don't you dare fall for me. Last night was fun, I enjoyed it very much, and now it is behind us. I go my way, you go yours."

A sadness crept into his eyes. I sighed, exasperated. "Don't look at me with that 'hurt puppy' expression!" I said, a bit louder than I wanted. He looked at the floor.

I cupped his chin, pulled his head up, forced him to meet my gaze.

"You have no idea who I am or what I do. You don't want to be with me. You _will_ get hurt if you do."

"I can bear it."

I was suddenly furious. "You can bear it? What the fuck do you think I am talking about? Hurt feelings? I am talking about having your guts ripped out, your head smashed in, your arms and legs broken just so someone could get at me!" I shouted. "Do you have any idea what kind of people my enemies are?"

He cringed. I grabbed the front of his pajamas, dragged him close. I felt like a royal asshole, but I had to rip it out of him.

"I can't afford relationships. I can't risk having such a vulnerability!" I said while I held his eyes in the coldest gaze I could summon. "Just because you have the emotional maturity of a fourteen-year-old doesn't mean you have to fall for the first cunt that you fuck! Now snap out of it!"

I pushed him away and left his room.

 _Way to go, girl. Go and kick a kitten while you're at it._

I stormed into my room, masking my tears with my fury. I sat down on my bed, took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.

* * *

The morning passed by quietly. Darren and Cyborg were working in the lab. Cyborg came up for air once, glanced at me with a lifted eyebrow, then went back carrying leftover pizza for them to feast on. I rolled my eyes and sighed.

I felt a light touch on my arm. I turned to look into Raven's violet eyes. I lifted my eyebrows quizzically.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I frowned. "About what?"

"They could probably hear you all the way back in the city. Your voice carries quite well."

I felt heat rushing into my face. Anger, shame, regret. Not a good combination.

"Great!" I said, closing my eyes, forcing all the feelings back down where they came from.

She didn't say anything, she just sat beside me and took my hand.

"So that's why Cyborg gave me that look" I said, opening my eyes, looking down. "I thought Darren told him what happened."

She smiled a ghost of a smile. "You made your choice a long time ago. Now is the time to pay the price."

"I've been paying it all this time. It is just that today it feels… a bit expensive." I lifted my gaze, looked into her eyes. I couldn't help myself. I had to ask.

"What about your choices?"

There was a small glimmer of something in those violet depths. Anger? Pain? Despair? All three?

Just as it appeared, it faded away. She still held my hand.

"Like you, I made my choices a long time ago. Like you, I'm still paying for them."

She left me to ponder what she meant.

* * *

It was early evening when Robin stood up and cleared his throat. "Starfire and I will go to the city for an evening stroll. Anyone wants to join us?"

Beast Boy looked up from the game he was playing and opened his mouth. Raven's eyes glowed white. Beast Boy tried to talk, but no sound could come out. He looked around, confused. I stood up from the couch and walked over, putting my hand over his mouth, my cape cloaking us from their eyes, letting Raven dismiss the spell. "You guys go ahead, I'm a bit tired" I told Robin.

"OK, we'll see you later then" said Robin, with noticeable relief. They walked out of the room. I removed my hand from Beast Boy's mouth.

"What was that all about, momma? Why didn't you let me talk?"

I turned to Raven. "Do you want to explain it to him or should I?"

"I'll do it" she said and floated closer. I left her to unravel the facts of life to the young changeling.

A few hours passed. The Ops Room was quiet, except for the beeps and pops of Beast Boy's game. It was a pleasant evening and I was about to call it a night when the main monitor lit up. Part of Starfire's face could be seen on it. She was wrestling with something very large with her other hand. Her eyes were glowing green. Her voice came out from the speakers, punctuated by bursts of static.

"Friends! We requi –" _crackle_ "– ssistance with the urgenc–" _hiss_ "rris wheel –" _roar_ " – Robin!"

As she mentioned the Ferris wheel we understood what we saw on the screen. She was trying to keep it from toppling down, crushing the crowd of panicked people below trying to run away.

I looked at Raven. "Can you get us there now?"

She nodded. "We could use Cyborg, too!"

"I'll get him!" I said, running to the door, just as Cyborg rushed in. He must have heard the transmission, too. I grabbed his arm and dragged him over to Raven, where Beast Boy was already waiting.

Raven's soul-self emerged and enveloped us. As it receded we found ourselves on the playground. I turned to her. "Help Starfire! Keep that wheel from falling!" She flew towards Starfire, already shouting her mantra. I grabbed Beast Boys' arm. "Help those people get away in case the girls can't hold the wheel. If it falls, it will fall over this area" I indicated with a wave of my hand. "Keep everyone away from it!" He nodded and ran off.

"Cyborg!" I shouted, turning to him.

"I'm on it!" he said as he pushed against the huge wheel, trying to stabilize it. I ran to him. Strong as he was, it was a losing battle. The wheel was righting itself, Starfire and Raven managing to keep it from toppling, but it was up to me and Cyborg to prevent it from snapping off its mountings and rolling over the buildings and people.

As I was trying to decide what to do, a screech of torn metal signaled that the wheel's mountings had failed. Cyborg strove mightily, but the sheer mass of the monstrous wheel simply pushed him away, his feet leaving deep furrows in the concrete. Starfire and Raven tried to pull it back, to no avail. There was only one thing to do.

I stood in front of the wheel, my arms spread above my head. This was going to be the biggest construct I ever made. It shimmered into existence, an elliptical shape two hundred feet tall and forty feet wide. I willed it down and thrust it into the ground, anchoring it a hundred feet deep into the concrete, soil and bedrock, another hundred feet of it sticking out of the ground like a giant spike in front of the rolling wheel.

The wheel rolled on and slammed into the blade's flat side. Even though the blade was anchored deep into the bedrock, blinding white pain exploded in my head. I screamed my pain and my defiance, holding on grimly.

The momentum bent the rim of the wheel, one of the spokes twisting perilously with a scream of tortured metal. As the spoke straightened, the wheel slid down along the length of my construct. It slowly came to rest, shivering, its gargantuan weight resting on the blade. I wasn't able to see any of it. Even with all the rock and concrete holding the blade in place, I felt the giant wheel ramming into my mind, scraping my brain away, a vast pressure squashing it until all I knew was the pain, the blade and the need to keep it in place. There was nothing else in the universe.

 _Keep it in place. Keep it in place. Keep it in place_. I repeated those words in my mind, like Raven's mantra, not understanding the words any more. I couldn't breathe, but somehow it was not important. The enormous mass of the wheel pressed on, squeezing my mind, crushing my brain. Slowly, ever so slowly, the pressure started abating, but the pain remained. _Keep it in place. Keep it in place._

I thought I heard someone shouting at me, but I couldn't spare it any attention. _Keep it in place._

"Match! It's over! You did it!"

I heard the sound but did not understand the words. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I passed out.

I woke up to see them staring at me. Raven was holding her hands to my head, the healing warmth slowly relieving the pressure, removing the pain. I gasped and started breathing again.

I took several deep breaths, confused. I tried to remember what happened, but my mind shied away from the memory like a skittish horse. I tried to get up, only to fall down, losing consciousness again.

I awoke again. This time I was smarter. I opened my eyes and sought out Raven. She was frowning at me.

"Stay down!" she commanded. I relaxed, closed my eyes and let her help me.

After a minute she removed her hands, sighing softly. I opened my eyes and looked at her. For a brief moment I saw the pain clouding her eyes. I realized she had been taking my pain into herself in order to heal me. My anger rose, but I was too exhausted to shout at her. But she felt it and frowned down at me.

"What is it?"

"Don't you… fucking _ever_ … do that shit again!" I croaked.

"Do what?" she appeared genuinely surprised.

"Take… my pain… into you."

"I have to, in order to heal you!" She was still frowning.

"Then next time… just let… me die."

"Maybe I will!" she said, a flash of anger in her eyes.

"Good." I whispered, closing my eyes again.

She pressed her lips together into a line, her eyes glowing with repressed anger. "You are the most insufferable, hot-headed, stubborn idiot that I've ever met!"

My head was almost completely clear now. "Good!" I repeated, able to speak much better. "And don't you forget it!"

I opened my eyes again, tried to get up. Cyborg's hand helped me up. I stood, still a bit wobbly in the knees, looking around.

The wheel was standing firmly in a ditch, probably scooped up hastily by Cyborg and the girls while I was holding it. There was no danger from it toppling or rolling any more. I looked back at them, trying to flash a grin. Their faces were dark. Something was wrong.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Robin is gone" Cyborg said.

"Wait, my head is still not clear. Did you say 'Robin is gone?' What do you mean, gone?"

"I mean, he's disappeared."

"Maybe he is helping the people, there may still be panic…"

"No" Cyborg said with finality. "Look there."

Among the debris of the broken mountings of the Ferris wheel I could discern a few bodies. I approached them and felt a sharp, icy stab in my guts.

They were Slade's Commando bots.

* * *

Back at the Tower, I summarized what everyone was thinking.

"So Slade spied them on the Ferris wheel and quickly struck with his robots, knowing that both Starfire and Robin would have their hands full. They were not able to defend themselves properly and the robots succeeded in overpowering Robin, while Starfire was trying to keep the Wheel from crushing innocent bystanders."

"And we know why he went after Robin" Cyborg concluded grimly.

"Yes. The briefcase."

I was still feeling queasy, but I had one more thing to do. I walked over to Raven, took her arm and pulled her away from the others. She followed me, offering no resistance, silent.

"You're pouting" I told her quietly once we were out of earshot.

Anger flared in her eyes. "I'm _not_ pouting. And I'm _not_ angry. But your stubbornness is really starting to bother me."

"Look, I'm sorry I offended you. You did a wonderful thing for me. You made a great sacrifice for me. But I never asked you to do it."

"Of course you didn't! Do you think you were able to? You were clinically dead for a few seconds!" she said, her voice rising into a shout, the angry glow in her eyes threatening to kindle into white flame.

"I don't want you to suffer my pain!" I shouted at her, my frustration exploding. Revived by my rage, agony shot through my head, colored lights dancing in front of my eyes.

"So what was I supposed to do, let you die?" she shouted back, her eyes now burning white.

Her answer only fueled my anger, increasing the blinding pain in my head. "I cannot leave behind such debts! I cannot owe you that much! I cannot risk my –"

"Oh, to the Nine Hells with your fucking independence!" she shouted at me, whirling around and storming away.

Four of the light fixtures exploded, sending shards all around. Tea mugs and glasses on the table burst into clinking fragments. Loose objects shot up to rain down on us.

Everybody was staring at her, then at me, then at her again. She stopped, looked at them all and shouted " _What?_ "

She removed herself to the darkest corner of the room, lifted her hood over her head and started meditating in lotus position, floating a foot above the floor.

"Did… did Raven just say the F-word?" Beast Boy asked, incredulously.

"Shut up, BB" Cyborg said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"But…"

Cyborg frowned down at him.

"Shut. Up."

Beast Boy looked at Cyborg, opened his mouth, thought better of it and closed it, shaking his head.

At that moment the screen lit up, Slade's face glaring at us from it.

"Hello, Titans. I suspect you already know the reason behind this call."

I stepped forward. "We do. What is your proposal?"

"You are not a Titan."

"But the briefcase is mine."

"Maybe they can take it from you?"

"They can try."

He was silent for a moment, probably deciding if he was going to negotiate with me or not. He came to a decision.

"Let us get to business. You want your leader, I want the briefcase. In two hours, the warehouse where we met last time. Match will come, alone. If I see anyone else, Robin dies."

"Twenty four hours, in the clearing above."

"You do not have any bargaining power."

"Neither do you!"

The camera that focused on Slade panned back, revealing a restraining field where Robin lay, motionless. Slade lifted his hand, holding a small transmitter with two buttons – one red, one green.

"The power of life and death. Green for life, red for death. This is my bargaining chip."

"That's a stasis field. We don't even know if he's alive. I repeat, you have no bargaining power either!"

The Titans were mumbling among themselves behind me, probably concerned that I may push Slade too far. I fought the urge to whip around and scream at them.

"Two hours. Warehouse." Slade repeated his demand, the camera now showing him holding the transmitter.

"No deal. Twenty four, clearing" I said.

Slade lifted his other hand, the finger going towards the red button.

"Go ahead, do it" I told Slade as coldly as I could. I heard two gasps and a moan behind me.

"No, momma, please, let him have it…" Beast Boy whined.

"Match, what's wrong with you? Are you crazy?" Cyborg shouted, his arm transforming into a cannon.

"ROBIN! NO! LET HIM HAVE IT!" Starfire screamed, floating up. I created a protective disk and the starbeam she sent my way struck it, staggering me with its power.

She swooped down on me, her eyes blazing green. I stood my ground, gritting my teeth. I awaited her assault, unable to tear my eyes from Slade's image.

 _Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!_

Starfire was enveloped in a black cocoon that dragged her slowly down to the ground.

" _SILENCE! LET HER FINISH!_ " Raven shouted over the commotion. Everyone fell silent. I never dropped my gaze from Slade's image on the screen.

Slade's finger stopped just short of the red button.

"Have it your way" Slade said finally. "Twenty four hours, clearing above. Come alone with the briefcase or he dies."

"I'll be there."

The screen flickered off. I wiped cold sweat from my brow, my legs barely able to support me. I staggered to the couch, sat on it heavily. Cyborg approached, his face furious, Beast Boy in tow.

"What the hell possessed you to play like that –" he shouted at me.

I closed my eyes, suddenly very tired. "Cyborg, _think!_ This is Slade, not some two-bit mugger off the streets. Robin is the only thing he can bring to bear on us. Did you really think he would waste it to prove a point he did not need to prove?"

I swear I could almost hear the gears whirring and clanking in his head. As he understood what I was telling him, his fury abated, but there was still a scowl on his face.

"Very well, I understand. But I still think that you were gambling there. Thank God that Slade didn't call your bluff."

"It wasn't a bluff. And his cards were not that hot, either" I said, with a lot more conviction than I felt.

I turned wearily to Raven. She was comforting a sobbing Starfire. "Thanks for understanding what I was doing and for the help."

"I wasn't helping you, I was helping Robin. I don't want you to feel indebted to me."

I passed my hand over my eyes. I was feeling dizzy and Raven's attitude was not helping, but I realized she was entitled to it. " _Touché_. I deserved that. I must talk to you, but first take Starfire to her room and try to calm her down. Meet me in my room."

"Did we hold an election and voted you President when I wasn't looking?"

"Please. And now you're being petty."

"Takes one to know one" she said, still fuming at me. She took Starfire's arm and they floated to her room.

* * *

I sat on my bed, completely exhausted, physically and emotionally. I just wanted to sleep, but I needed to set everything in motion before resting.

A black portal opened and Raven floated through. I frowned at her. "There is a door just a couple of feet away, you know."

"I do. I knocked. You did not answer."

It was quite possible. I was concentrated on the big problem, tuning out everything else.

"If it bothers you, I'll leave" she said. Her voice was so cold that I was surprised I didn't see icicles forming in the air.

I sighed and closed my eyes. "Please. I don't have the strength. Let us just see to what must be done, then let me sleep and deliver the briefcase. Once Robin is safe, I'll admit to everything you want and we can soul-search each other for the rest of the week."

"Very well." Her voice was still cold, but at least I wouldn't be getting frostburn just from talking to her.

"I have an idea, but I must check with you if you can do what I hope you can. I also need you to try and blow holes in my plan so we can cover the possibilities. You're the most level-headed of this bunch and I need someone that can think rationally."

We spoke for at least an hour and a half. I wanted to continue and iron out some of the issues she noticed in my plan, but I felt her hand on my shoulder.

"You must sleep now. Let me think on those last items and I'll have something for you in the morning. You'll be useless if you're staggering with exhaustion."

I shook my head "I'm fine", I said.

"Look at me" she replied, cupping my chin and lifting my head so I could gaze in her eyes.

"Either you go to sleep now, or I'll make you." Her eyes were deadly serious.

"But…"

"No buts. Sleep. Now."

I nodded, fell into the bed and was instantly asleep.

* * *

I woke up stiff, aching all over, but for some reason full of energy. I glanced at the wall clock and realized I slept for some sixteen hours. A quick shower took some of the aches away and by the time I was wolfing down a large breakfast – or dinner, since it was late afternoon – they were just a bad memory.

I still had four hours before I had to leave to face Slade. I finished my late breakfast and went to Raven's room.

She opened the door and motioned me in. Her hood was up and her eyes watched me from its depths. I stood there for a few moments, unsure of what to do next. Finally I spoke.

"Rae, I have to apologize –"

"Don't. We both behaved stupidly. Let's put this behind us and concentrate on what must be done."

I should have been happy about her words, but for some reason I felt hurt. I swallowed it and sat down in an armchair, talking to her about what we were going to do.

After about an hour, we agreed on all the finer details. She stood up and brought me the briefcase.

"Here you go."

I checked it carefully. "You didn't try to expand my plan and include a tracker somewhere?"

"I'm not an idiot. We're dealing with Slade. He would know immediately if we did. Besides, there may be an interference field around the place and we can't assume any signal will be able to go through. You will be on your own."

I nodded. "It will have to be that way."

She just looked at me, searching, scrutinizing, analyzing.

I got up, took the briefcase and went to the door.

"You are thinking that you will not survive" she said, stating a fact.

I stopped. My back was turned to her. I felt an urge to talk to her and explain, but I crushed it mercilessly. I resumed my walking.

"Wait!"

I stopped again. I was still facing the door, my back turned to her.

"If you die, how will Robin survive?"

I spoke over my shoulder. "My first priority will be the green button. But even if I die, Slade will not kill him. Remember that he still wants Robin as an apprentice. That will give you the opening you need to rescue him if I fail."

"Good. You thought of everything. Except of how to get out of there alive."

Anger flowed through me. I whipped around, facing her. "If you have a better idea, I'd love to hear it!"

I took a deep breath, forced my anger back into its bottle. I'd need it soon enough, no sense in wasting it now.

"Raven, last time I confronted him – God, was it only a few days ago? Last time I fought him with everything I had. I was good. I didn't even know I could be that good. And yet he would have killed me if you didn't appear in the nick of time. I don't stand a chance."

"I don't see why he would fight you. If you don't provoke him –"

Again I felt anger at her refusal to understand. "Are you that naive? Did you suddenly change brains with Beast Boy? Why do you think he specifically demanded that it should be me that has to bring the briefcase? Why do I have to explain these things to you of all people?"

Even under the hood I saw her pale cheeks color, but she did not drop her gaze. "Then why are you doing it?"

I shook my head. "I could say that I owe Robin – and all of you – my life. That I need to repay that debt. But I feel that it's not completely true. Frankly, I have no idea. I just know I have to do it."

She said nothing, continuing to look into my eyes. Suddenly I felt the walls of her room pressing down on me. I had to get out.

"It is time. I have to go."

* * *

I was almost at the exit when Starfire flitted over and stopped me.

"Match, I wish to offer you the apology for my actions of last night" she said, her eyes downcast.

"There is nothing to apologize for, Star. I understand why you did it, and I would never hold it against you."

"I also wished to ask a great service from you" she whispered.

My eyebrows went up. "Service?"

She looked into my eyes, her own eyes starting to glow. "Save him. Bring him. Alive and unharmed. Whatever it takes."

As she spoke these last words, her eyes shone with hatred. It was like enjoying the sight of a beautiful flower and then having a tarantula scuttle over it. It almost made me physically ill.

It did not take much imagination to understand who was the target of her hatred or what her last words implied.

"Whatever it takes, Starfire."

She nodded and flitted away.


	12. Chapter 12

I arrived at my destination with two minutes to spare. I dismissed the floating disk and jumped to the ground. I resisted the urge to look around searching for Slade. He knew I was there; he would show himself when he wanted. Probably when he felt it was to his advantage.

I waited several minutes, the briefcase in my hand, the wind blowing my cape around me. There was no sign of him. But a master of intonjutsu like Slade could be standing at arm's length from you and you wouldn't have a clue, until you felt his blade in your guts.

It was obvious he was playing with me, trying to upset my psychological balance. If he managed to do so he would win before we even started fighting. Well, he was in for a surprise himself. Two could play that game. I have read the _Art of War_ , too.

I never had formal training in any of the oriental spiritual bullshit, but I do tend to pick up a few tricks from friend and foe alike every now and then. It helps me stay alive. I closed my eyes, knowing that sensory information at this moment was not reliable. I forced all input to the minimum, allowing the _chi_ of the surroundings to permeate me. I was soon aware of his presence. I opened my eyes and turned towards the place where I sensed him.

He was standing there, arms crossed, less than twenty feet away from me, unmoving. His head was tilted slightly downwards. He was probably also feeling the _chi_ , not using his normal senses. We stood there, facing each other silently, for a few seconds that stretched into an eternity.

He finally lifted his head and looked at me, an unreadable expression in his eye.

"Interesting. I didn't know you could do that."

"Quite frankly, I was a bit surprised myself."

He glanced at the briefcase. "It feels like the real briefcase. There are no tracking devices on it. I thought you would try some trick."

I had to tread very carefully now. The slightest indication that I was lying, obscuring the truth or trying to misdirect him could cause Robin's death.

"I must admit that I was stupid. I should have understood it earlier."

His eye narrowed. "Understood what?"

"You only have one eye. If you relied on normal senses you would have been dead a long time ago. The lack of a second eye means you have no depth perception and no way to judge distances visually. Other senses may help you overcome it, but not to the extent that you consistently show. That means that you are using the _chi_ in order to gain information from your surroundings. So you see, I realized you would detect any tracker, no matter how well hidden."

His eye widened slightly, as if surprised.

"Very few people were able to follow that trail of reasoning. None are still alive."

I chuckled. "As if you had plans to let me leave!"

His gaze was thoughtful. "Maybe now I do."

I shook my head. "You now want to offer me again to partner with you. But I already told you. This is not an option for me. As corny as it sounds, I would rather die."

"That is always an option."

I sighed. "Look, I just want to free Robin. How about we cut the crap and make the transaction? We can later get back to our chat, or get down to it and see which one of us will walk away from here, or both. It's your call, really."

He chuckled. "Why, Match, I have seldom had the opportunity to have such a conversation partner. I would really like to continue our discussion. But you are right. Let us conclude our business first."

I nodded. "Drop the transmitter – slowly – and I will drop the briefcase. Then we will walk towards them at a slow pace."

"That is acceptable" he said, bending his knees to put the transmitter to the ground, his gaze never leaving me.

"One more thing" I said as I placed the briefcase on the ground. "I must have assurances that Robin is alive and unharmed."

He slowly moved his hand to his belt. A disk appeared, spinning, in my right hand. He pulled out a communicator from the belt slowly and delicately, with two fingers, lifting it up to show it to me.

"I made a copy of Robin's communicator. Once you press the green button on the transmitter you can use this communicator to call him and confirm that he is alive and well."

It was far from perfect, but much better than I expected. I tried to keep my surprise from my voice. "It will have to do."

I dismissed the disk. He placed the communicator beside the transmitter and straightened up. On an unspoken cue we started walking towards each other. As we met halfway we turned, facing each other, circling each other, continuing to walk backwards towards our respective goals.

I reached the place where he was standing before. I bent my knees and scooped up the transmitter and communicator, my eyes locked on him. I lifted the transmitter, pressed the green button and dropped it. Before it hit the ground I created a blade and in a swift move sliced it up into several parts.

Still holding Slade in my sight, I used the communicator. Robin's voice came through it immediately.

"Who is this?"

"Robin, this is Match. I have freed you. I will have the others track and help you, but you must be cautious."

"Match? What happened? Where is Slade?"

I cut off the communication with Robin and called Raven. She also replied immediately.

"Match? Is it you?"

"Robin is alive and free, but I don't know where he is. Track him via his communicator. I am busy right now."

I cut her off, too, and faced Slade.

"The transaction is complete. Now what?"

"We could continue our most stimulating conversation" Slade said with a chuckle.

"What, you like playing with your prey before killing it, like a cat?"

"Who said anything about killing you?"

Hot anger welled up in me. I welcomed it. It gave me strength. "For you this may be stimulating, but I am scared shitless. If you want to kill me, make your move. If not, go away and leave me alone."

Slade shook his head slowly. "The world will be a duller place without you" he said. There was no trace of the usual sarcasm in his voice. I tensed. His attack would come any moment.

He bent and picked up the briefcase, his eye still locked on mine.

"Follow me" he said, as he turned and entered the tin shack.

For a second I was bewildered. Then I started walking after him, my mind in turmoil, not understanding neither him nor myself.

He led me to the platform that was now visible on the floor of the shack. The holes I made on my previous visit were repaired. He stood on the platform, waiting for me. I joined him, still not understanding what he was up to.

The platform shook and started going down. I looked at the now familiar warehouse slowly appear from the gloom.

Reaching the bottom, he stepped off the platform and walked to the door. There were again two Commando bots standing guard in front of it. I followed him, my thoughts still chasing each other, unable to connect into a coherent whole.

He went through the door with me in tow. The guard bots were immobile, staring ahead, ignoring us. He opened the door to one of the side offices and stepped aside, allowing me to go in first, the perfect gentleman. _Yeah, right_.

I stepped into the darkened office to see a small table set for two, aromatic candles burning and bathing it in soft yellow light, giving the otherwise nondescript room a pleasant, subdued atmosphere.

I turned and looked at him through narrowed eyes.

"How sweet, you remembered" I said, my voice dripping in sarcasm.

He chuckled. "Only the best for you."

"And I guess you have a bed hidden in here somewhere?" I asked, realizing immediately that I blundered badly. His eye watched me coldly, expressionlessly.

I opened my mouth to apologize, then it all hit me and I started laughing.

He watched me with a thoughtful expression in his eye until my mirth abated. I wiped a few tears that came into my eyes while I was laughing.

"I suppose I should explain myself" I told him, still chuckling. "I wanted to apologize for my remark; my sarcasm is a self-defense mechanism. But then I realized that I would be apologizing to someone that may soon kill me. The absurdity was overwhelming."

He held the chair for me and I sat down at the table with as much grace as I could summon. He poured me a glass of wine from the bottle that was on the table and offered it to me, pouring another one to himself.

"Carménère from the Central Valley of Chile, just as you like it"

I sipped it. It was _good_. "You were quite thorough in your research, I see."

"Always" he said, as he sat down across me, his hand going to his face, removing the mask and placing it carefully on the table.

I jumped back from my chair, overturning it, blades appearing in my hands, the wine glasses shattering on the floor.

"Stop playing with me!" I hissed at him.

"I am not playing with you."

"You have shown me your face. Am I supposed to expect that you will just let me go, now that I know how you look?"

"My face is not a big secret. Slade Wilson, Deathstroke the Terminator, is well known. Pictures of me are available if you know where to look."

"Then why the mask?"

"Intimidation."

I stood there, adrenaline pumping through my body, my blades crossed in front of me, ready to cut him down at the first sign of aggressive movement. But he sat in his chair, relaxed, his hands on the table, palms down. I waited.

There was a glint of amusement in his eye. "How do you expect me to eat and drink with that thing on?"

I took a small step back, dismissing my right blade but keeping the left one in defensive position. I fished the communicator out of my pocket without removing my eyes from him and pressed the Redial button.

Raven must have been expecting my call. She responded at once.

"Match?"

"It's me. Do you have him?"

"Yes. We are on our way back to the Tower. Where are you?"

"I'm busy. Don't expect me soon."

"What is going on?"

I cut her off, put the communicator back in a pocket in my cape. I dismissed the other blade, picked up the chair and sat down at the table again. "We need spare glasses."

* * *

"I am amazed at myself" I told him after we finished the meal.

"Why?"

"I am having dinner with the world's deadliest criminal in his underground lair, looking at his maskless face, being waited on by killer robots, and yet I feel relaxed and I'm actually enjoying myself."

His shoulders shook slightly as he chuckled soundlessly. "Good. I was working towards that goal."

I studied him. A handsome, hard face, with chiseled features and a neatly trimmed beard. There was no softness in it. A simple eye patch covered his right eye, giving him a sinister look. I felt heat pool in my loins.

 _Whoa, girl, cool down._

I hoped that my face did not betray what I felt. He watched me for a moment and spoke.

"My interest in you comes from a few years back" he said as he studied me, "when I found reports from a military research facility about a young girl with strange powers. I did not give it much thought until I also found a police file on an unsolved murder that happened some nine years ago. The coroner's report was… enlightening."

I frowned. "My life is my own. What I did is none of your business."

"You are wrong. I knew we would run into each other sooner or later. I make a point of keeping up to date files on all current and potential enemies – and allies."

"Didn't we go through this already?"

He chuckled. "Of course. But the offer still stands. It will be open for a while yet."

"Look, I already gave you my answer. If there is one thing that I will not negotiate, it is –"

"Your independence, yes. I understand that."

"Then you must understand that there is no way we can have any kind of relationship. You and I both simply will not tolerate any kind of authority over us, and the third option – being equal partners – is just a temporary arrangement that will dissolve into a battle for supremacy sooner rather than later."

"There is a fourth option" he said, his eye glowing with amusement.

"Oh?" I said, lifting my eyebrow.

Instead of answering, Slade just waved his arm around him, encompassing the dimly lit room.

"I can't see that one lasting much" I said.

"Then we should make the most of it" he said, rising from his chair, offering me his hand. I had nothing to add to that. I took his hand and followed him.

* * *

As I lay on the bed, utterly spent, my mind went through our recent battle. A battle indeed, the fact that nobody died did not make it less so. He had the male's natural aggressiveness and dominance, while I had the female's staying power. He had an in-depth knowledge of anatomy and I had years of experience in pleasing men. We were evenly matched.

There was no love, no tenderness in it, but as far as pure sex was concerned it was probably the best that there was. I had bruises on my throat where he was strangling me, he had nicks and cuts all over his body. We clawed at each other, fighting each other for dominance, trying to subdue the opponent, have the other one beg for mercy and release, until it all ended in a kind of draw, with both of us exhausted, sated and silently agreeing to a cease-fire.

After a while I felt sufficiently recovered to get up and dress myself. He straightened in bed, watching me as I prepared to leave.

I turned around, taking him in. "As exhilarating as this was, it changes nothing" I said. He just looked at me, amusement still sparking in his eye.

"Did you think you would subdue the beast with your selfless love?"

"As much as you thought of having me breathlessly give myself heart and soul to you" I countered.

He chuckled. "As I said, I wouldn't mind repeating this when you feel like it"

I smiled wickedly back at him. "I'll be in touch."

With that I turned and left the warehouse.

* * *

I coasted on a disk over the roofs, not really knowing where I was going. For some reason I didn't feel like going to the Tower. I let the disk pick a random direction and slowly glided, going nowhere, while my mind tried to put all the pieces of the puzzle back together.

I was snatched out of my reverie by a grappling hook that appeared out of nowhere, entangling me in its coils and dragging me off my disk. I fell, completely immobilized, straight into Slade's waiting arms.

He put me down gently, then straightened up, looking at me coldly, folding his arms across his chest. The briefcase was beside him.

"Where is it?" he asked, his voice cold and menacing.

I squirmed, trying to release myself from the coils. I extruded a small blade and tried to get it into position to cut the bonds, but his staff flashed down and slammed on my wrist, the pain making me lose control over the blade.

"Where is it?" he repeated.

"Where is what?" I said, stalling for time, although time was not promising anything.

"Don't play coy with me" he said, the menace in his voice almost overwhelming me. "Where is it?"

I twisted and turned furiously, trying to free myself and failing. Big surprise. He kicked at me and I tried to roll away, but I could not avoid the strike fully. Lights danced in front of my eyes.

"Don't pass out on me. Where is it?"

I rolled away a few feet, extruding another blade. He lunged towards me, staff flashing to smash my wrist. The pain was excruciating. He had broken several bones in my hand.

I gasped in pain as he knelt beside me, taking my smashed wrist in his hand.

"Maybe I should just... squeeze it out of you" he said and increased his grip on my hand expertly, moving the jagged ends of the broken bones against each other just enough for me to scream but not enough for me to lose consciousness.

"Fuck… you" I hissed through clenched teeth. He slapped me in the face, then took my hand again.

"Wrong answer" he said, squeezing my hand. I screamed again.

I looked at him, hating him. I knew I was as good as dead, but I'd be damned if I didn't at least spit in his face before I died. I created a disk and sent it spinning at him. He swatted it contemptuously aside.

I squirmed again, trying to get at his arm and bite it. He avoided it easily. "You just don't give up, do you?" he said. His voice sounded amused, but it had as much compassion in it as there is air on the Moon.

I spat at him, missing his face. He slapped me, rattling my teeth. I tried to bite his hand as he slapped me yet again.

A mocking voice sounded behind us. "I'll just take this, you two lovebirds can go on doing whatever you are doing!"

Slade whipped around and threw two blades at Red X, who already had the briefcase in his hand. He dodged the blades artfully, manipulated a control on his belt and disappeared with the briefcase.

Slade straightened up, looking where Red X disappeared, then turned his gaze back down at me. "You made a mistake" he said. "If that was the real briefcase you would not have left without trying to steal it back."

I cursed myself. I had allowed myself to forget for a moment who I was dealing with. Now I was paying the price.

"I'm just interested in how you managed to duplicate it so exactly" he said, still looking at me, thinking aloud. "Almost as if by magic." His eye shone with understanding. "Ah. It must have been Raven. So the real briefcase is still in the Tower."

I twisted desperately again, trying to free myself from the coils, with the same results. Slade glanced back again at where Red X vanished and chuckled. "I would love to be there when he tries to sell it to the Brain."

He turned to me. "I could kill you, but I won't. I will leave you owing me a life." He kicked me in the head one last time and was gone as I fell unconscious.


	13. Chapter 13

For once I didn't wake from my unconsciousness in the Tower. I was unable to dwell on the fact, however, since the pain from my shattered wrist immediately occupied my full attention.

Pushing as much pain as I could away from my mind I created a small blade and gingerly guided it over the grapple coils that still held me immobilized. I worked slowly, the blade small and hard to see clearly, but I knew a larger blade could wound me deeply if I made any mistake.

I managed to snap three of the bonds holding me. That should be enough. I dismissed the blade, allowing myself to breathe again. I nicked myself twice doing it, but it was superficial. At least the force blades were cleaner that a surgeon's scalpel that had been boiling in alcohol for an hour. There should be little danger of infection.

With the coils loosened, I wriggled carefully, trying to free myself without moving my swollen wrist. Again it was slow, methodical work, but right now I was not in a hurry.

As I squirmed, a ghostly, black bird emerged from the roof where I was lying and formed itself into Raven. I sighed. As glad as I was of seeing her, this was not really the right moment. She floated over to me, a concerned frown on her face.

"I managed to track that communicator you were using. What happened?" she asked as she knelt beside me, her eyes immediately noticing my smashed, swollen wrist.

"Short version: Slade. I'll give you the long version when I'm a bit more comfortable" I growled.

Her hands started glowing with a white light as she reached for my broken hand. I tried to pull it back to avoid her touch, but all I managed was to gasp at the pain. I twisted and turned, still immobilized in the grapple's coils. She ignored my efforts and covered my hand with hers.

"Don't!" I told her. She continued to ignore me as I felt the healing warmth infuse my hand, the pain receding, the inflammation subsiding. I thought I heard a small whimper escape her lips as she felt the pain that she absorbed from me. I squirmed angrily again, hating what she was doing. She looked at me.

"Stop that!"

"Funny, I was just going to say the same thing to you!"

"You are being unreasonable!"

"And you are being stubborn! You know I don't want you to take my pain into you!"

She didn't reply, but the look she gave me made it clear she would not back down. I glared at her, fuming, but I forced myself to be still and let her finish what she started.

I felt the bones in my hand and wrist knit together, the torn tissue repairing itself, the internal hemorrhage drain away. In less than a minute, it was healed and as good as new.

"All right, can you help me out of this so that we can go now?"

She flashed me a wicked smile. "Not a chance. Now that I have you all trussed up like a turkey, I mean to finish the job properly!"

I rolled my eyes and forced myself to be still again. Her hands went over to my other hand. There were no broken bones, but Slade had hit it hard with the staff and it hurt a lot still. The pain went away. She then turned her attention to my forehead and the cut left by Slade's boot, giving it the same treatment. She found the two nicks I made on myself while cutting the bonds, quickly treating them, and finally looked at the bruising around my throat.

"Where did this come from?" she asked. I turned my eyes, blushing. She put her hand on my cheek, looking at me closely.

"I hope you're not doing what I think you're doing" I said, anger creeping in my voice. "I do care about my privacy!"

"I am not a telepath and you know it. I can only feel your emotions."

"That's bad enough!" I grumbled, trying to keep the mental images of my bedroom bout with Slade off my mind and failing. I gave up and looked at her pleadingly. "Raven, please, don't."

"As you wish" she said, letting go and helping me finally to get rid of the grapple's coils. After less than a minute, I was free. I got up.

"Let's go to the Tower" she said as she levitated up. I reached up and took her hand.

"Wait. Not yet. I will tell you… all. But I would like as much of it as possible to remain between the two of us."

She lifted her eyebrows. "All right. Tea?"

"I'll have coffee. Any decent place nearby?"

"Follow me."

She floated away as I summoned a disk and jumped onto it, following her. She kept her speed low, knowing that I could not go very fast on my disks, but in a few minutes we arrived at a pleasant corner café. We both landed and I followed her in.

A good thing about living in a city plagued by superheroes and supervillains is that people will seldom give you more than a surprised glance, no matter how weird your outfit or how outlandish your method of arrival. We found a table by the window and sat down.

We ordered and the tea and coffee arrived. She sipped her tea delicately. "Well?"

"In a nutshell, my plan worked. Your copy of the briefcase was flawless. He never found out, would never find out, except that I slipped."

She nodded. "The first part is quite obvious, considering that Robin is with us again. How did you slip?"

"When I left, I was too… preoccupied… to think clearly. He noticed I didn't try to steal the briefcase back, and he put two and two together."

"You _left?_ Just like that? And you were… _preoccupied?_ When you were going off to meet him, you were certain you were going to your own funeral!"

I sighed, seeing that there was no way of keeping it from her. I placed my hand over hers, allowing her to feel me fully, and started the story from the beginning.

When I finished, she was looking at her tea cup, shaking her head slowly. "This has got to be the weirdest story I have ever heard. I sense that you are telling me the truth, but I still can't wrap my mind around it."

I frowned. "Slade never does anything without a good motive. I know that he wants me, but there must be more to it than just sex."

"He said it himself, he wants to have you as his sidekick" she said, a slight edge of coldness in her voice.

I shook my head. "No. He knows that I will never go for that."

"You are assuming that he will leave you a choice" she said. "A few years ago he managed to get Robin to work for him." My eyes snapped up to hers, amazed. She nodded. "He infected the rest of us with some kind of nano-engineered probes or viruses. He threatened Robin that he would kill us if he did not follow his commands."

"Something like that could not happen to me" I said, too intent on thinking about Slade's motives to realize what I just said. Raven's gaze turned into an icy stare, but again I did not notice, too busy looking into my coffee.

"Yes, you do avoid having such vulnerabilities" she said coldly. "We should go to the Tower."

She rose and left the café without bothering to check if I was following.

* * *

As I walked into the Ops room my ears were assaulted by a chorus of whoops. The Titans converged on me, arms open, grins on their faces. I lifted both my hands, palms out, trying to defend myself. I took a few steps back, but before I was able to escape I was tackled by Starfire, swooping down on me in a blur of orange-red and embracing me in a bone-crushing hug.

"Whoa, easy now, Star!" I managed to wheeze with what little air that was left in my lungs.

She released her hug slightly, allowing me to gulp some air. "You have my undying gratitude for the rescuing of Robin" she told me quietly. I nodded, trying to disentangle myself from her arms.

They were all standing around me, beaming at me, except for Raven who was floating somewhat farther away, an insufferably smug smile on her face. I scowled at her. She knew this was going to happen and she led me to it, without warning, on purpose.

I turned to the others. "Cool down, everybody! That's enough hugs and kisses! The matter is far from being settled!" I said with a slight tone of anger in my voice.

Cyborg looked at me, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You've been spending too much time around Raven, girl. It's starting to rub off!"

The mischievous glint in his eye suddenly turned into slight apprehension as he noticed the glares from Raven and me. He took a step back, while the others dissolved in peals of laughter.

"All right, let's knock it off with the comedy relief! We have a lot of work to do!" I growled, a bit more gruffly than I wanted. I stalked over to the couch and sat down on it.

"So, momma, tell us how it went! Did you kick one-eye's butt?"

"Yes, please tell us the story of the magnificent rescue, friend Match!"

"There's not much to tell. I went there, made the transaction and released Robin. The rest… the rest let's say it will stay between me and Slade."

Robin frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I do not want to talk about it!"

I noticed his eyes narrowing. The others looked at us, confused, except Raven, who of course knew the entire story and who was floating in lotus position, observing us calmly.

I sighed. I had to at least explain myself. "Look, Slade wants me to join him. After the transaction was complete, he tried to convince me to switch sides."

Robin was still staring at me. "I suppose you rejected his proposal?" he said, not able to keep a note of suspicion from his voice.

"I did. But not because of what you think."

I swept my gaze over all of them, returning it finally to look into Robin's eyes. All this had gone far enough. I had to cut loose, and screw their feelings.

"Guys, you all seem to have this idea that I'm some kind of do-gooder. I'm not. I only look after myself. The sooner you realize that, the less pain there will be when one day we have to face each other in less friendly circumstances. And now if you'll excuse me, I'm tired and need to rest."

I left them silent, pondering, and went to my room.

* * *

I was kneeling on the floor in seiza position, thinking. As much as I tried to get around it, I saw no other option. I sighed, got up and started packing the few belongings that I had into my rucksack.

There was a knock on my door. Talk about bad timing.

I went and opened the door. Robin was standing there, his arms crossed, looking at me.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

I stepped back, letting him in. I waved him towards an armchair and went and sat on the bed.

"You're packing?"

"Yes, I'll be off in a few minutes. I can't stay."

"And the briefcase?"

"Keep it. It's in good hands. I don't want to know about it any more. There is no profit in it."

"Not everything is about profit" he said, his eyes studying me.

"For me it is."

"I don't believe you."

I sighed. "Believe what you want. But don't waste your time trying to convince me to stay."

"I won't. But I do think that you need to reevaluate yourself. I think you are more than what you allow yourself to be."

"No, I am not!" I almost shouted at him, then clutched my anger and frustration and crammed them back where they came from. "Listen, if you really want to know, talk to Raven. She knows everything. Tell her that she has my permission to give you the whole story."

I got up, took my rucksack and swung it over my shoulder. I dug into the pocket of my cape and came up with the communicator. I offered it to him.

He shook his head. "Keep it" he said. "You may need it one day."

"And of course, you will be able to track me with it!" I said angrily. As soon as I said it, I regretted it. It was uncalled for. But he did not appear angered by my outburst.

"Of course" he smiled. "In any case, you can just throw it in the garbage if you want."

I couldn't help my lips curling into a smile. He knew I wouldn't do that. "Why you manipulative little –"

He just nodded, still smiling at me, then he got up and headed for the door. As he reached it, he turned around and said "I never thanked you for what you did."

For some reason I couldn't bear to look into his eyes. I just waved a dismissing hand. I heard him turning around and leaving.

* * *

Steel City sounded like a good place. No Justice League, no famous superheroes or supervillains that I knew of. It could be a place to rest for a few days and then look for a new assignment. Hopefully something more pedestrian than my last one.

Having decided, I angled the disk and floated towards the airport. The more I waited here in Jump City, the greater the possibility that I would get dragged deeper into this whole sordid business. Let the Titans deal with it. It was their job, after all.

A projectile sailed towards me and I bounced it from a defensive disk. Twice in a row was 'shame on me'. Whoever was looking for _three_ times in a row did not know me very well.

I dismissed the disk and fell to the ground in a roll, jumping to my feet, blade and disk ready in my hands. I looked around, searching for my assailant, until I saw Red X appearing before me.

"I would like the real briefcase this time" he told me, with none of his mockery apparent in his voice.

"Do I look like I have it?"

"Where is it, then?"

I straightened out, dismissing both shield and blade. "I heard you were smart. You either know the answer already or what I have heard is a bunch of crap."

"I guess I'll just have to go to the Tower and get it" he said, starting to circle around me.

I shrugged. "Be my guest."

He misunderstood my words. "Cyborg's security isn't that hot" he said. "How do you think I got these?"

I had no idea what he was talking about, but I did get his meaning. "Hey, it's your neck" I told him.

The old cocksure look appeared again in his eyes. I sighed. "Look, it's not a good idea" I insisted.

"Why not? Are you going to try and stop me?" he asked, with some of his mocking tone creeping back in.

"No, I'm done with the whole farce. Go and get yourself fried, for all I care."

A shadow of doubt darkened his eyes.

"And you will not warn them that I will try to steal it?"

"I did not say that."

"But you will not fight me."

"Why should I?"

He stopped circling around me. I knew I had him confused. Maybe I should take advantage of it, continue to push him off-balance and then cut him up into a hamburger patty. But I just couldn't bring myself to care.

"Nice talking to you, then" he said, as his hand went for his belt.

"Wait!" I said, not really knowing why I bothered. His hand froze, his stance alert again.

"What is it?"

"Do you know what's inside the briefcase?"

He shook his head. "I don't know and I don't care. It is not my business to know."

"Same thing I told myself when this whole business started" I replied.

He relaxed, feeling that I did not have any intention of attacking. "So?"

"Why do you want it?" I asked.

"As if you didn't know. It's worth a lot" he said.

I nodded. "And why would you want so much cash?"

"A guy has to eat every now and then."

I chuckled. "That's a lot of eating. What's the real reason?" I suddenly felt a sharp ache in my chest. The conversation was painfully familiar, except that this time I was not on the receiving end.

"It means that I can pick and choose my assignments. It means freedom. It means –"

"Independence?"

His eyes narrowed. "Yes."

"You said you admired me" I told him, noting the slight vacillation.

"What does that have to do with –?"

"Why?"

"Why what?" he said, his confusion slight but evident.

"Why do you admire me? Do you wish to be like me? Unburdened, free, with no ties to anyone? Not depending on anyone? Not having any relationships that would leave you vulnerable?"

He stared at me, his eyes narrowed, studying me, analyzing me.

"When we fought last time, I asked you a question. Do you remember?"

"Not really" he said.

"I asked you if you knew why I broke the contract."

"Now that you mention it, I recall that you did. I did not pay much attention. I had other things on my mind."

"Maybe you should have" I smiled. "I have an eight-year-long reputation of always delivering the goods, never failing my contracts. And now I suddenly break one. You never asked yourself why?"

"No, but I have a feeling you will tell me."

I shook my head. "You're supposed to be smart. Figure it out."

I conjured a disk and hopped onto it. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to find a decent hotel."

So much for Steel City. As I floated away from him, I took the communicator from my pocket and looked at it, mulling everything over in my mind. I finally reached my decision and touched Robin's name on the screen. I was just about to touch the 'call' button, but on an impulse I canceled the call, selected Raven's name and called her.

She answered quickly. "Yes?"

"Rae, this is Match. I just ran into Red X. He may have plans to raid the Tower soon, maybe tonight. Tell Cyborg to harden the security and have someone watching the briefcase at all times."

She was silent for a few moments.

"And you care because…?"

"Let's not get into a discussion. I said what I wanted to say. The rest is up to you" I finished, cutting her off. I didn't feel like arguing with her.

* * *

I checked into a hotel nearby and went to my room. Once inside I fell into the bed, hands behind my head, staring at the ceiling.

 _I almost made it. I almost managed to get myself out of this goddamn place and to forget about this whole business. Damn Red X!_

 _This has nothing to do with him and you know it._

 _Maybe not, but if I left for Steel City I may have been able to leave all this behind me._

 _And then what? Toss and turn in bed every night, thinking about it, like you're doing right now?_

 _Maybe for a few days. Then the next assignment would come and I would forget it._

 _Forget it? Yes, until the first moment when you had time to think again. Do you really hope it will just blow away?_

 _And what if it doesn't? How long have I lived like this? It never bothered me before, why should it start now?_

 _Because this time it is different and you know that, too. And it's not only the fear of what will happen if Slade or the Brotherhood get their hands on the briefcase. Admit it, you like the kids. They managed to get under your skin._

 _Yes, and now I am exposing myself again. Allowing myself to feel attached to someone. Giving my enemies an opening. Betraying everything I worked for all these years._

 _So you're human. Humans are herd animals. We create societies. We create bonds between each other. It is what makes us who we are._

 _It is NOT who I am!_

 _Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Maybe you'll even start to believe it._

"Fuck it!" I said aloud, savagely. I got up, took off my clothes, tossing them onto a chair, went to the bathroom and showered. I got back to the room and dropped into the bed. For some reason my conflicting emotions did not keep me awake. I fell asleep almost immediately.

* * *

It was well past midnight when I woke up, alert, disk and blade glowing softly in my hands, to see her dismissing the black portal she just stepped through.

"Is there any place I can sleep without someone dropping in on me?" I wondered, anger in my voice.

She just arched an eyebrow questioningly at me. I let the disk and blade vanish and straightened in my bed, turning on the bedside lamp.

"Long story. Forget it. Why are you here?"

"You didn't answer my question" she said as she sat down on a chair, facing me.

"Maybe because I didn't want to."

"Why did you leave?" she asked, her violet eyes softly glowing under her hood.

"I just wanted to get away from it. To get away from you all."

"Why?"

I sighed, slightly annoyed. "You know why. I started creating bonds with you. It goes against everything I'd worked for in the last nine years. I don't want to care for you. I don't want to worry that every time you go out on a mission it could mean that some of you won't come back. I don't want to be vulnerable, to give Slade an opening."

"Match, you are very smart, but in this you're behaving stupidly" she said bluntly. "The five of us, we are much more than just a team. There were times when I… let's say that I had my doubts, the same as you. But in the end it turned out that the others not only were not a weakness, they were – and are – the source of my strength."

"Look, I have enough to worry about when I am in a fight. Worrying about someone else would just make me less efficient. When I fight I have to concentrate on what is threatening me, not pay attention if you or Robin or Beast Boy may be in danger!"

Her eyes flashed in anger. "You don't know anything, do you? That is why we train together. That is why we fight better together. When I fight alongside my friends, I know my back is covered. I know where Beast Boy will be, where Cyborg will stand, how Robin will attack. We know and understand each other, so we can complement each other. We turn each other's weaknesses into strengths."

I shook my head. "That's all fine, but what happens when Slade or the Brotherhood comes after one of you in order to get at me? Look what happened with Robin yesterday! If any one of you gets hurt and it is because of me, how do I handle it? Do you even know how that feels? I felt it yesterday, and let me tell you –"

"How _dare_ you?" she shouted suddenly, shocking me. "You know _nothing_ of what I know!" She stood up from the chair she was sitting on and advanced on me, her eyes blazing. " _You_ are the one that has _no idea_ of how it feels! You egotistical, whiny, selfish _brat!_ "

I stared at her, stunned, suddenly frightened of her. She was towering over me, her eyes pools of white wrath, her fists clenched and shaking. The bedside lamp exploded, showering me with glass fragments. I cried, more in surprise than in pain, as some of the lamp debris cut my face.

The white blaze in her eyes winked out, replaced with concern because of what she just did. She floated down. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I should have controlled myself. Let me see that."

"It's… it's all right, Rae" I answered, still dazed at her reaction. "Don't worry about –"

She just looked at me. I realized it would be a better idea to shut up.

She put her hand on my cheek. I was too keyed up to feel any pain, but I could feel small fragments of glass being removed from my cheek and neck to fall on the bed and the floor.

"There you go. There will be no scarring, you'll look just as good as you did."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it" she said, then turned away. "I… I'm sorry for what I said. I should not impose my views on you. I shouldn't have bothered you. I'll let you sleep."

Black mist formed around her hands as she prepared to summon the portal.

I couldn't let her go. I _dared_ not let her go.

"Rae. Wait. Please."

The black mist around her hands dissipated. She looked at me.

I took a deep breath and spoke. "All that you said… The things you called me. You are right. I was just thinking of myself. I was running away from my pain for nine years, not understanding that I would never be able to run away from it, not realizing that the only way to deal with it was to face it."

I dropped my gaze to the bed sheets. "I was on my way to the airport. I wanted to go to Steel City, leave all of this behind. I almost managed to run away again. And then Red X showed up."

I looked at her again. "He wanted the briefcase, of course. As I spoke to him, I was able to see myself as I was years ago. Arrogant, convinced that I don't need anyone, certain that I was the center of the universe. And I realized how empty and hopeless it was. I realized that this was maybe my last chance to be a part of the human race, and not turn into… into some kind of Slade."

I pulled the sheets around me, subconsciously seeking protection and comfort. "What I'm trying to say is that I would like to go back with you. That is, if my room is still available" I concluded, still staring at the bed, not daring to look into her eyes. I was some seven years older than she was, an enormous difference at that age. And yet I felt like I was the little girl.

"If I didn't want you to come back to us, would I be here calling you names?" she told me, her eyes calm and understanding.

I raised my eyes hesitantly to hers and gave her a small, shy smile. "Let me get dressed" I whispered.

I put on my dirty clothing, not bothering to get clean stuff from my rucksack. I'd change later, in the Tower. Finished, I faced her. There was just one more thing I wanted to know.

"Rae?"

She looked at me, waiting for my question.

"What happened? Why did you… I mean, what the hell was that all about?"

She looked down, not happy that I'd brought it up. "I can't tell you" she whispered. She looked up at me again. "Maybe one day I will. But not tonight."

She lifted her hands, chanted the mantra, opened the portal. She looked at me. "Let's go."


	14. Chapter 14

We stepped from the portal into the Ops room. It was quiet and empty, except for Robin who was working on a computer in a corner. He heard us and turned around.

"You brought her? Good."

I frowned. "You two were planning this?"

"Not so much planning as agreeing that it was worth a try" he said, getting up and walking towards us. He stopped in front of me. "I'm glad that Rae managed to convince you."

"I didn't have to convince her. She had already convinced herself. She thought she had burned the bridges, though" Raven explained.

"It would take a lot more than that to burn them" he told me. "We're kind of used to snarky remarks from people we care about, for quite some time" he said, glancing at Raven, a crooked smile on his face. She eyed him coldly, but refused to take the bait, remaining silent.

"I'm glad to hear that" I said.

He glanced back at me, his smile growing wider. "It's good to see you again" he said, extending his hand. "Welcome."

I studied him, slightly surprised at the way he was behaving. It was a new facet of him I was seeing. I grasped his hand and said "It's good to be back."

I turned to Raven. "Did you tell him?"

She nodded. "Good" I said. I turned back to him. "If you need to know any details, right now is the best time to ask. I can't promise I won't clam up in the morning."

He shook his head. "I don't think so. I agree with your feeling that Slade wants something from you – something that goes beyond pleasurable gymnastics. And beyond the briefcase, also."

"Maybe he wants her power?" Raven suggested.

"No. Match's power is a weapon, a tool. As with all tools, the important part is the person using it, not the tool itself."

I yawned, suddenly tired. "Whatever it is, he needs my cooperation, and at the moment I can't see that happening. But I'm asleep on my feet. How about we continue this fascinating discuss –"

The Crime Alert shrieked, the red light bathing the darkened room in an eerie light.

They reacted instantly, lunging towards the door, without thinking. I called after them.

"Hey, you mind if I join?"

They both stopped and turned around, Robin's face creasing into a grin. "Be our guest!"

* * *

"Can you take a passenger? I asked Robin as we ran to the garage. He glanced at me quizzically.

"Need to clear a couple of things first with you" I said as we reached his bike. He handed me a spare helmet, indicating the comm settings.

"Is it a private channel?"

"Yes. The other private channels and the group one will be displayed on the HUD. Blink to select, blink twice to activate" he explained. I put on the helmet and sat behind him on the bike. We roared out.

His voice crackled through the headphones as we drove. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I have a problem. My power, my training, my style is not really compatible with yours. I don't want to do something I'll regret later."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play the innocent, you know very well what I mean. I don't want to leave a pile of dismembered corpses behind me and then have to justify myself to you."

"Are you sure you have your priorities straight in this scenario?"

"Yes, I do. Do you actually think about your moves when you fight or do you use your muscle memory?"

"In that case maybe you should hang back and provide support."

"I guess that would be a good idea for the moment."

Neither one of us was happy with the solution but I couldn't think of a better one right now.

We arrived at the scene shortly, a military depot that was overrun with men in uniforms resembling WWII Nazis. "Those are Immortus' men!" I said, recognizing them.

"They seem to be plundering the depot. What could they be looking for?" Robin said as he screeched to a halt and jumped off the bike. I followed him.

He glanced at me. "As we agreed, hang back and guard our backs. We'll take care of these guys." He turned to the others and shouted.

"Titans! Go!"

They deployed in their standard pattern and charged into the fray. I conjured a disk and flitted after them, keeping my eyes peeled for any threats that may appear from the flanks or rear.

I should have brought popcorn. It was quite entertaining to watch them handle Immortus' legions. As I relaxed a little, not being able to locate any of the big guns of the Brotherhood, I started helping out, carefully at first, then with more confidence. I covered Beast Boy with a protective disk when he overextended himself and ran into heavy gunfire. Then I caged several of his attackers with three disks, not allowing them to disperse, as he charged them through the only opening I left, the green triceratops bowling them all down.

Looking for more opportunities to help, I placed a disk in angled position over a bunch of uniformed goons that were hiding from Starfire's bolts behind some construction equipment. She immediately understood my intention and she shot her bolts into my disk, which bounced them down onto the hidden soldiers, knocking them all out. She flashed me a grin, while I gave her a thumbs-up. Robin noticed I was trying to help and waved to get my attention, then pointed. I created a levitating disk beside him. He hopped onto it and I guided the disk to where he pointed. He launched himself off the disk on top of a group of soldiers, surprising and scattering them.

I noticed a formation of robotic soldiers and jumped at the chance of doing something more than just support. I waded in, blades flashing and dismembering several of them, just as a twenty-foot container encased in black mist smashed down on top of the rest, missing me by less than a foot. Raven landed beside me.

"Are you all right?" she asked, looking around for threats.

I realized the mistake was mine. "I'm fine. Sorry for barging in unannounced!"

"Be more careful in the future!" she said and flew off. I followed her with my gaze for a second, then turned my attention back to the battle.

It was almost over, the Titans mopping up the few remaining stragglers. I flitted around, making sure no one was trying to slip away. By the time I finished scouting the perimeter of the area, it was all over. We headed back to the Tower.

"Hey momma, thanks for the assist!" Beast Boy beamed at me back in the Ops room. "That was some cool teamwork!"

I grinned down at him. "We'd make a good bowling team!"

Raven floated closer. "Don't encourage him. You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

But it was too late. After flashing Raven a quick frown, Beast Boy turned to me and overwhelmed me with a blizzard of "knock-knock" jokes, none of which was even remotely funny. I looked pleadingly at Raven, but she pointedly ignored me. Finally, it was Cyborg that noticed my predicament and came to my rescue, giving me a wink and dragging Beast Boy off to play a game.

I strode over to Raven, more than a little annoyed.

"You could have done something" I said, trying to scowl at her.

She closed the book she was reading, keeping the finger between the pages where she left off, and looked at me. "The best way to learn is through experience", she told me with a saintly expression on her face. I felt my scowl beginning to melt, in spite of my fiercest efforts to keep it in place.

"So, are there any tips you can give me about the others, or will I have to learn the rest the hard way, too?"

She looked at me, amusement in her eyes. "I guess that you already know that you should avoid Starfire's hugs, unless you like the sound of cracking ribs."

My scowl had already turned into the beginnings of a grin. "And I suppose I should avoid mentioning that car to Cyborg" I said.

She nodded, her amusement making her eyes glow under the hood.

"What about Robin?" I said, by now grinning widely.

The amusement in her eyes faded. "Can you guess?"

I thought for a while, the grin dropping off my face. "Slade", I said. She sighed, stealing a quick glance towards Robin, to make sure he couldn't hear us.

"He is obsessed with Slade, but he can usually keep it under control. A couple of times, however…" she shrugged. "I shouldn't talk about it." She opened her book again.

"And what about you?"

She looked up from the book, her eyes expressionless.

"I think you know already" she said quietly and returned to her reading.

* * *

I sat for a while in the Ops room, just letting my mind wander and not focusing on anything in particular. For me it was a good way to let my subconscious work on all accumulated information.

As a result, one forgotten thing floated up to the conscious part of my mind. I got up and went to the lab to see Darren. I owed him an apology.

As much as I had to apologize, I also didn't want to spark any hopes in him. I mulled several approaches in my mind, then discarded them all. I'll just play it by ear.

Walking into the lab, I saw him and Cyborg both busy at their stations. I paused at the door, frowning. I was about to turn around and leave, not wanting to disturb them, when Cyborg lifted his eyes and saw me standing there.

"Hey, Match, whassup?"

"Hey, Cy, you guys hard at work?"

"Yep. Need anything?"

"I was about to ask you two the same thing."

He stretched, a curious gesture for someone that had no muscles to cramp. "Nope, we're fine!"

"Good to know. Let me know if you need coffee or pizza!"

"Will do!"

"OK, see you later then."

I turned and started walking towards the Ops room, surreptitiously pulling the communicator from my pocket and calling Robin.

"Yes?"

I kept my voice as quiet as I could. "Robin, why is there a Cyborg in the Ops room and another one in the lab?"

He was silent for a second. "I'm sending Star to help you, the rest of us will check this one."

"I think we will need to use fire" I told him.

"Understood" he said and cut off the communication.

 _How the hell did she get in?_ I wondered.

My mind worked furiously. The main problem was that Darren was in the same room and he was unable to protect himself if it turned out that the lab Cyborg was Rouge in disguise. I wasn't too sure if Starfire and me were able to protect him, either, once the fun started. I finally settled on a plan, aware that it had enough holes to use as a sieve, but it was the best I could come up at such short notice.

Starfire came up behind me as I was thinking, startling me when she touched my shoulder. I jumped some four feet in the air, whirling around, blades appearing in my hands, before I realized it was her. She flitted a couple of feet back and whispered in a concerned tone.

"My apologies for the consternation, friend Match!"

"That's all right, Star. I am… jumpy"

"Yes, you have stated the obvious."

I rolled my eyes and quickly whispered my plan to her. She had to get Darren out of there while I kept Rouge/Cyborg busy. As soon as she had him locked up safely in his room, she was to hurry back and help me with Rouge.

I strode back to the lab, Starfire flitting behind me. I closed with Rouge/Cyborg and extended an elliptical blade from each hand. Starfire grabbed Darren under his armpits and flew with him out of the lab, leaving Darren's surprised squeal in their wake.

"What the hell is that all about?" Rouge/Cyborg asked, surprise in the human eye. I looked down at her – or was it him? I was almost certain that it was Rouge, but there was a small possibility that it was not.

"I understand how you can change shapes and voices, but I still don't see how you can mask your accent so well."

"Whatcha talking about?" he said as he got up from the chair. The angry look in the human eye was quite convincing.

"I'm saying that you're not Cyborg! I'm saying that you're Madame Rouge and that you somehow infiltrated the Tower, probably hidden underneath the car as we drove in! I'm saying that the entire assault on the military depot that we responded to earlier was staged for that specific reason!"

Rouge/Cyborg shook his head, an excellent impression of amazement, anger and hurt feelings mixed in his eye. Either she was a damn good actor, or...

I couldn't help but hesitate for a moment. As soon as it showed in my eyes, Cyborg's fist extended and struck me in the left cheekbone, staggering me back as white flashes burst in my head.

 _Do I have a fucking target tattooed there?_ I asked myself inanely, trying to clear my head.

I felt her coils around my body and throat. She started squeezing. I fought, trying to create a disk or blade, but I was blinded both by the hit I received as by the lack of oxygen in the brain. My vision darkened and I knew no more.

I woke up, Starfire shaking me vigorously. I tried to shout for her to stop before she could snap my neck, but no sound could come through my throat. She saw I was conscious and she lowered me down on a chair.

"Friend Match, you have to recover the senses! The Brotherhood of Evil is performing the attack on the Tower!"

I got up dizzily, tried to speak, realized that my windpipe was crushed and air could barely wheeze through it. _So that is why I couldn't shout._ "Who is attacking?" I whispered, my mind still blurry.

"The Brotherhood!"

"Wait!" I tried to say, but it only caused a lance of pain to stab through my throat. I managed a hoarse whisper. "How's Darren? Where's Rouge?"

Starfire's eyes flared green with impatience. "Darren is locked in the premises that he occupies. I returned and uncovered you in the clutches of Madame Rouge's arms. I proceeded with the assault on her, but she has given me the slip and exited through the ducts of the ventilation. She then probably made the contact with the other members of the Brotherhood and they initiated the attack"

Not seeing any further point in continuing the conversation, I ran out towards the Ops room. Starfire caught up with me, grabbed me and carried me with her faster than I could ever go, on a disk or not.

We barged into the Ops room, now turned into a battlefield. In a split second I took the scene in. Mallah was wrestling with a green gorilla, the two apparently evenly matched. Robin was surrounded by Immortus' uniformed goons, but was managing to keep them at bay through liberal use of staff and grenades. Cyborg was sending blue bolts through Rouge, but the holes he made in her were closing as soon as they appeared. She coiled one of her arms around him and threw him against the wall. He struck the wall and slumped, leaving a large crack in it. Raven was alternating between protecting the others from gunfire with a black shield and throwing pieces of furniture at the attackers.

"Star! Take on Rouge!" I tried to shout, but only a wheeze escaped my throat. I looked at her, pointing with my finger at Rouge and she nodded and was off. I ran to the center of the room, my blades cutting down several assailants. I was high on adrenaline and bloodlust. I did not care if I was cutting flesh or metal.

I noticed a swarm of Immortus' minions pouring in from the main entrance to the room. I sent two horizontal disks spinning their way, cutting most of them in half. I could hear several screams, but I just didn't care. I left the rest of them to Robin and Raven and turned to face Madame Rouge.

She was holding Starfire trussed up in her left arm, ignoring the starbeam that cut a swath through her body, the wounds closing and sealing up almost instantly. I threw a disk and severed the arm that was holding Starfire and she ripped the tentacles holding her with a mighty wrench. I glanced at Cyborg. He was getting up from the floor. It would take more than a crash into the wall to stop him. He turned to the wall and smashed his fist into it, ripping out sparking electrical conduits, just as Rouge's right arm was hissing, tentacle-like, towards him. As she tried to coil it around him again, he slammed the arcing cables onto her exposed skin.

Rouge screamed, her entire body shaking like Jell-O. Starbolts slammed into her. She managed to pull her arm from Cyborg's grasp as I sent two disks slicing through her torso. This time the slits took time to close. I realized she was either hurt by the electrical discharge or was getting tired. I extended a blade in each hand and advanced towards her.

The refrigerator, encased in a black mist, slammed into her, tossing her aside and continuing on its way to smash through the large panoramic window and down onto the rocky shore. Rouge saw her chance and jumped through the window after it. Starfire followed her, showering her with starbolts.

I heard a roar behind me. Beast Boy was in the shape of a large, green… _something_ … and he had Mallah in his hands, holding him over his head. He threw the gorilla through an undamaged section of the window. I created a disk, hopped onto it and streaked out though the smashed window to follow Mallah and Rouge.

Madame Rouge could not fly, but she could use her power to mold her body and influence the direction and speed of her fall. She closed with Mallah as he fell, avoiding Starfire's bolts and the two disks I threw at her, wrapped herself around him and they both splashed into the sea below. I followed on my levitating disk, careful of not descending too close to the surface. I flitted over for a few minutes before realizing they would not appear again, at least not soon.

I flew back and through the smashed window of the Ops room. As my bloodlust abated, I remembered what I did. I dismissed the levitation disk and walked to the main entrance to the room and the hallway beyond, where I knew I had cut down several attackers.

"Rae, our dinner was in there! Now we have no dinner _and_ no fridge!"

"It was full of mold anyway, Cyborg!"

I ignored their banter as I stood over a slowly congealing pool of blood at the entrance. I felt tired.

"Hey momma, did you like my sasquatch? I sure showed that monkey-brain – _whoa!_ " He recoiled as he saw what I was looking at.

I turned and went to my room.

* * *

I sat on my bed, my mind blank. I watched the seconds slowly count on the wall clock. My throat and cheek burned like hell. I barely noticed it.

Someone knocked at my door. For a moment I thought of ignoring it, but that would simply postpone the inevitable. I got up and opened the door.

They were all there, looking at me. I turned and walked to the bed, sat down on it, stared at the wall.

They filed in, Robin sitting down in an armchair, Cyborg standing beside him, Beast Boy turning into a dog and coming closer to sit on his haunches in front of me. At least he wasn't panting.

Starfire sat on the bed beside me. Raven approached from the other side. She lifted her hand towards my throat.

"Don't touch it" I whispered, locking my gaze to hers. It was her turn to back down. She sat beside me, opposite Starfire.

I looked at Robin. "How many?" I whispered.

"Eight."

I nodded and stared back at the wall.

"Rouge overrode the security from the lab computer, right?" I continued whispering, not being able to speak normally.

"Right" Cyborg – the real issue – said. "She was able to log into my account with my retinal imprint."

"And the briefcase?"

"I teleported it to another plane as soon as the attack started" Raven said. "Once it was over, I brought it back."

"Good" I said, staring at the wall, not seeing it.

Robin gave it a try. "Match, look –"

"Just leave me alone for a while, please" I whispered hoarsely, still not looking at either of them.

"I don't think we will" he said.

I sighed and shrugged my shoulders, still staring ahead, not looking at anyone.

Beast Boy turned back into himself, sitting cross-legged in front of me.

"I know your feeling, momma. Don't let it get to you."

I frowned down at him. "Do you?"

"I do. Like, every time I turn into a predator, I get the urge to, like, you know, I want to rip someone's face off. And sometimes I do. And don't get me started on the herbivores. A pissed-off rhino is a _really_ bad dude."

I had to chuckle, even though it hurt like hell. "It's not that, BB" I whispered.

Raven took my hand and spoke, her voice soft and emotionless. "You are concerned about what we will think of you because of what you did. But that is not what is distressing you. You are uncertain which emotion hurts you more, your remorse because you killed eight people, your regret because you are convinced you let us down or the fear that we will reject you because of what you did."

She frowned slightly. "And there is more. It is ripping you apart, because you are ashamed. Ashamed of the fact that whichever emotion you feel hurts you more, you think that it should be one of the other two instead. And that shame feeds the other emotions in you, in a vicious circle."

"Can't hide from an empath" I whispered.

"It's not a question of hiding. It is a question of accepting who you are. We already did. Why don't you?"

I kept staring at the wall. As accurate as her words were, I just wasn't able to get reason to influence emotion. Never knew anyone that could.

Raven spoke again. "Let me heal you. At least you'll be able to talk then."

I finally looked at her. "Will I be able to scream?"

"Not right away" she said, deadpan.

I smiled. "Go ahead."

She put her hand on my throat. I looked away. The burning and the pain diminished and were gone.

I cleared my throat. "Much better" I said in my normal voice.

As if the ability to speak was something that I needed to be able to face them, I could finally look each one of them in the eyes, searching them for traces of anger or disgust, but I found none.

I looked back at the wall. "Maybe what hurts me the most is that I realize I will never be able to be a part of the team" I said, my voice returning completely to normal levels.

"You never could" Robin said.

I looked up at him, slightly surprised at his bluntness.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Match, and it has nothing to do with what just happened. But you are not a team person. As you said, your power, your training and your style are not compatible with ours. Now that can be solved through training. A lot of training. But it is your independent streak that would have you always stand out. You could never mold in. You would have to change the way you are, become someone else, and that is something that we could not ask for, or even wish for. We like you just as you are."

His voice softened. "You may not ever become a part of the team, but I do believe I speak for all of us when I say that you will always be our friend."

"That is more than enough for me" I told him, smiling.

"We'll leave you alone now" Robin said, getting up. "But if you need our company, you know where we are."

They left the room one by one. Beast Boy was the last one. He paused at the door, turned to me.

"Match, you know, if you need someone to cuddle up to…"

I looked at him with eyes wide, not believing what I heard. He realized what he had just blurted and his face darkened. I supposed that passed for a fierce blush when you're green.

"No, no, not like that!" he stammered. "Darren was asking about you, like, concerned. I told him I would talk to you and see if you wanted, like, to talk to him. Or whatever."

I burst out laughing. "You had me worried there for a second, BB!"

He laughed with me. "Oh man, did I put my foot in my mouth!"

We laughed for a few seconds more, then his expression turned sly. "But just in case, I can turn into a most adorable kitten, you know…" he said, as he illustrated it. I threw a pillow at him.

"Dream on, jailbait! Now go fetch Darren and tell him to get his ass over here double time!"

* * *

I am definitely NOT happy with how this chapter came out, but I tried rewriting it several times, and this is the best I could come up with. So please feel free to rip it apart. In any case, thanks for hanging on to the story so far!


	15. Chapter 15

I've taken the offered advice (Thanks, MeatLips!) to read the dialogues to myself aloud so that I can make it better. I hope it worked, it made me do a bunch of corrections - hopefully for the best.

* * *

"I hope you realize this changes nothing between us, Darren" I told him as I snuggled closer to him, enjoying his warmth.

He nodded. I could not see it; I had my eyes closed, but I could feel and understand it.

"You were right, Match. What happened just a few hours ago… One can see it on the news or read about it on the Web, but living through it…"

" _Living_ being the operative word" I told him, my eyes still closed.

He was silent for a minute, which suited me fine. After a while, he shifted slightly.

"Say it" I told him, without opening my eyes.

"Why me?"

I propped myself up on an elbow, looking at him.

"Figure it out, scientist guy. Use a process of elimination. Robin and Starfire are in a relationship, even if they don't know it yet. I'm not going to come between them just to take the edge off. Beast Boy is just a kid still. Cyborg is not what you would call 'cuddly'. And Raven… Let's just say I don't think it should happen."

"You mean you're not into… you know, girls…?"

"No, it's not that. I don't care if she is male, female or something in between. I like her a lot. I'd jump into her bed any time. But she has enough problems coping with her emotions without me adding to that burden."

He frowned. I slapped his nose playfully.

"You're acting like a child. The fact that you were the last one on the list doesn't mean I don't like you, or that I'm not having a good time with you."

I lowered my head on his shoulder again. "You are also very cuddly" I said and giggled.

He turned his body to me and kissed me, gently at first, then more urgently. I was amazed at his stamina; now that I taught him a few tricks he was becoming quite a lover.

"Hmmmm... I've created a monster" I purred as his kisses descended.

* * *

Next morning I strode into the Ops room feeling quite perky. Cyborg and Beast Boy were there, having breakfast. I joined them and applied myself to devouring a large helping of eggs and bacon that Cyborg dropped in front of me with a leer.

"I was thinking you might need that, girl" he told me with a wink. I grinned at him, then my eyes sought out Beast Boy. He was trying to keep an innocent expression on his face and failing miserably.

"Someone here has a very big mouth, apparently" I growled, mock anger in my voice. Beast Boy promptly turned into a toad. "Ribbit!"

As we laughed at his antics, Raven floated in and sat silently beside me, removing her hood. She looked at me with a small smile on her face.

"Well, aren't we bubbly this morning? I don't have to be an empath to feel that you're literally crackling with energy. Found some love last night?" she asked me, with a bluntness that surprised me a bit.

"Found _loving_ would be more accurate. Darren and I are not a steady thing." I told her.

She looked into my eyes, lifting an eyebrow. I took her hand. "Here, see for yourself" I told her, with a tinge of mockery in my voice.

She frowned slightly, as if disappointed. I almost laughed.

"Hey, give me some time, it's not like I can change the habits of a lifetime in a few hours!"

"I'm glad you're taking this well" she said, the slight smile returning to her lips.

I got serious. "He's sweet, and caring, and smart. He's not bad looking, either" I said, smiling. "But he's not the one. I'll have to keep searching."

At that moment Robin walked in, humming a tune, Starfire floating beside him. He made a beeline for the breakfast table, greeting us with a happy "Good morning" and attacked his part of the eggs and bacon with an obvious appetite.

I glanced at Raven, lifting a questioning eyebrow at her. She just shrugged. I looked back at Robin. "Looks like I'm not the only one perky this morning. What's up with you?" I told him.

Robin glanced at me, confusion in his eyes, then quickly looked at Beast Boy, then back at me. Beast Boy's face turned dark green again. I glared at him.

"Beast Boy…" I told him, scowling. "I don't mind you blurting it out once or twice, but it's starting to look like you posted it on Reddit!"

He turned into a green mouse and tried to hide behind Cyborg's coffee mug.

Robin interrupted us, smiling. "I have some good news. I think I've made a breakthrough" he said as he pushed the now empty plate away. He suddenly had all of our attention.

He got up and paced the Ops room, happy that we were hanging onto his words, almost strutting.

"We forgot one important thing when we tried to find out what's in the briefcase. We tried to look into it. We tried to get the information from Slade and from the Brotherhood. But we never thought of looking in the most obvious place!"

The realization of where he was going hit me like a ton of bricks. I slapped my palm to my forehead. "God, how could I be so _stupid?_ "

Robin grinned at me. "Yep. All this time the most obvious place where the answer could be found was staring us in the face and we never saw it."

"Whatcha talking about, Rob?" said Cyborg.

Raven finally understood, also. "The previous owner!"

* * *

"Isaac Nogoryan, born Armenian, naturalized American, probably the brightest applied scientist in the world" Robin lectured as a picture of a middle-aged man with half-moon glasses low on his nose flashed on the big screen. "Leader of S.T.A.R. Labs' Nanotech department until two months ago, when he resigned for 'health issues', even though his medical check-up, performed less than a month before that, showed no cause for concern."

He looked at the picture on the screen and continued. "Nogoryan was an applied scientist, and they do not often get the spotlight. Add to that the fact that S.T.A.R. Labs' Nanotech department has always been hidden under a shroud of secrecy, and the fact that he was somewhat of a recluse personally, and it is understandable why he was very little known outside of a very tight, very specific circle."

He clicked the control and the picture changed to a crime scene. "This is also why his death, less than six weeks ago, went practically unreported."

"What – or who – killed him?" I asked.

"Good that you asked. It was a hit-and-run, drunk driver. The police found the perp, he got a short trial and a long sentence. Nothing there seems out of the ordinary, except for one thing."

The next picture showed a document, apparently a medical report, with a result circled in red.

"The driver's BAC was almost 0.5. The defense tried to use this to claim that in such a case the accused would be in a coma and not really able to drive. But the court dismissed it, since behavior can vary between different people with the same BAC."

"It would seem that the defense was onto something" Raven commented.

Robin grinned at her. "I agree, even though it is only speculation. But there are several other, similar pieces of evidence, which taken together paint a very disturbing picture."

He swept his gaze over us all. "In any case, Isaac Nogoryan died and soon after that Slade – and Match, under contract to the Brotherhood – tried to steal the briefcase from his house. It may or may not be related to whatever he was doing at S.T.A.R. Labs, but I think it would be a good starting hypothesis to assume that he quit his job, stole his own work and then either tried to sell it to the highest bidder or tried to bury it so no one could get to it. I can't be sure of his final motivation."

"It would explain the welcome Raven and I received in Gotham" I said. "They probably realized instantly that the briefcase we wanted to scan was the one Nogoryan stole and they tried to recover it."

"Correct" Robin agreed. "All the pieces seem to fall into place."

"All except one" Cyborg grumbled. "What's inside the damn thing?"

"We can assume it had something to do with nanotechnology" Robin told him.

Cyborg waved a dismissive hand. "It's like saying 'something to do with engineering'. Nanotech has such a wide area of applications it could be anything – a deadly virus, a new kind of bomb, grey goo, self-healing constructs, universal antibiotics, you name it!"

Robin grinned mischievously. "That is why we'll pay a visit to his house and see what we can dig up!"

"Whoa, just a sec, dude" Best Boy interrupted him. "Aren't we the good guys? How can we break into –"

My communicator started buzzing. I took it out of my pocket, frowning. None of them was calling. I glanced at the communicator screen. "Unknown number" I said.

I put it on speaker and answered.

"It took you a while to answer, Match. Are your new friends with you? Maybe they are listening to our little chat?"

"Slade" hissed Robin through clenched teeth.

"Yes, they're all here. Robin says hello."

I could imagine Slade chuckling silently. "Tell him I haven't forgotten about him. I'll get in touch with him soon enough."

"You didn't call to leave messages. What do you want?"

"I just wanted to hear how my new girlfriend is doing."

I felt heat rising to my face. Raven knew the whole story, and she told Robin, but the rest had no idea. I noticed Beast Boy opening his mouth, then snapping it shut as he saw Raven's glare.

"I am well. I hope you are not."

"Tsk, tsk. Such pettiness does not become you, Match."

"Knock it off already, and say what you want to say!"

Slade's voice was suddenly all business. "It may be interesting for you to know that the Brotherhood has retained the services of an accomplished thief in order to get the briefcase" he said.

"Red X" I said, frowning.

"Correct. He may be young, but he is quite resourceful. He may even be apprentice material, certainly worth keeping an eye on."

I snorted. "He's just a young version of myself. You'll have as much trouble trying to have him as an apprentice as you had with me. Or Robin, for that matter."

"That is where you are mistaken. I never thought of you as an apprentice, but rather as a… partner."

I felt my anger rise. "This conversation is deteriorating into absurdity quickly. Why are you telling me all this?"

"Now you disappoint me. I thought you were smart. Why don't you tell me?"

"I don't see why I should play your stupid game –!"

I glanced at Robin. He nodded at me. He wanted me to keep talking. Was he tracing the call?

"– but I'll humor you" I said quickly.

"Don't bother trying to trace the call. But by all means, please do tell me. I am most interested in knowing how your mind works."

"You are warning us so that we can increase security around the briefcase. Right now you know where it is, and that plays a major part in eventually obtaining it. If Red X steals it and delivers it to the Brotherhood, you will waste precious time trying to locate it."

"And…?"

"Since you want to partner with the Brotherhood, you need to buy your way in. They may conceivably partner with you even without you having the briefcase, considering your reputation, skills and experience, which could be a great asset to them. But without it your bargaining stance is a lot weaker and therefore your position in the partnership would be correspondingly lower."

"Excellent. I am truly impressed. What else?"

I felt heat rising to my face again. "Nothing else".

"Now I know you're lying. There are no secrets among us, are there? Or are you keeping things hidden from your new friends?"

"My private life is just that – private!"

"Of course. Far be it from me to talk around about the very pleasurable night we spent together."

Best Boy and Cyborg looked at me, then at each other. Robin's face was an expressionless mask. Raven's gaze switched back and forth between me and Robin. Starfire was the only one that did not appear to be uncomfortable. The only unusual thing about her was the angry scowl that she was directing at the communicator.

I looked at Robin pleadingly. He shook his head and looked pointedly at the communicator. I gave him a furious look, then swallowed my anger and continued talking.

"You want something from me. You want me to join you. But I told you already. There can't be any kind of lasting relationship between us."

"There already is", Slade said, his voice silkily poisonous.

"The key word here is 'lasting'. Whatever happened was spur of the moment."

Again I could feel him chuckling soundlessly. "Is that really how you feel? Or is it what you would like your friends to think?"

My mouth felt dry. I looked at the others. Cyborg and Beast Boy were looking at the floor, avoiding my eyes. Robin's face was impassive, showing no sign of letting up. Raven was glaring at him, obviously angry that he was making me go through this.

"Don't flatter yourself. Whatever you want from me, you will not get it. You're just too dangerous for me to get involved with you, call it what you want – master and apprentice, partner or –"

"Lover?"

"That one doesn't even bear mentioning. Lover to someone that could slit your throat any minute for any reason?"

"It did heighten your enjoyment the other night, didn't it?"

I lifted my hand, a blade appearing in it, ready to stab it into the communicator. Robin grabbed my arm. I glared at him. I clenched my fists and closed my eyes, trying to calm myself.

"Please, continue, Match. As usual, I find conversation with you to be most stimulating."

I pulled myself together. It had to be done. "You need me. For what, I do not know. I did not have time to ponder it. You also want the briefcase. If you could get both at the same time, so much the sweeter, but it is not a priority. The briefcase is a short-term goal. For me you have long-term plans. I just do not know what they are – yet."

"I would love to be able to enlighten you, but that may ruin the surprise I have for you. I have enjoyed our conversation, almost as much as your body. I'll be in touch."

He cut the communication. I opened my eyes, glaring flaming daggers at Robin. "I hope it was worth it!" I hissed, rose from the couch and went to my room.

* * *

I got to my room, closed the door and started smashing my fist into the wall repeatedly, until the metal buckled and my hand was bloody.

There was a knocking at my door.

"Go away!"

"It's me" I heard Raven's voice.

I opened the door. She walked in, saw my bloody hand, saw the buckled wall, smeared with my blood.

"Give me your hand."

"Later. Right now pain is the only thing that keeps me sane."

She sat on my bed and patted the place beside her. I walked over and sat where she motioned.

She put her arm around me and I lowered my head on her shoulder. It was a bit awkward, since I was almost a head taller than she was.

"Thanks" I told her. "I know you hate hugging."

"It's not the hugging. It's the display of emotions that I hate. Right now I'm just comforting a friend."

I lifted my head and looked into her eyes. "I am not often on the receiving end of this kind of crap. I'm sorry about what I did on the plane. I guess you felt then like I feel right now."

She looked a little surprised. "I wasn't going to rub it in" she said, a slight edge of coldness in her voice.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. Thank you for caring."

We sat there for a minute, silent. She dropped her arm from my shoulder and took my hand into hers. "No complaining, now" she said.

I looked away. I didn't want her to heal me, but I knew it was important to her. I felt the warmth enter my hand, repairing the torn tissues.

"There you go. The damage wasn't that great."

I nodded. As I lifted my eyes, I saw Robin's silhouette in the doorframe. I had left the door open.

"Match?" he said. "May I come in?"

"Of course" I said, waving him in. He entered the room and stood there.

"Look, I'm sorry about –"

"It's all right. Did you at least manage to trace Slade?"

"He has a twisted sense of humor. The call was traced to my communicator."

"So all that shit was for nothing" I said fiercely.

He misunderstood my rage. "Listen, I had to take the chance –"

"I wasn't mad at you" I cut him off. "I'd just hoped that the unpleasantness was worth it."

"Any peek into Slade's mind is precious. You had him talking for a long time. I have the entire conversation recorded, and I intend to study it closely for any hints. There are bound to be some."

I nodded. "Let me know what you find out" I told him.

"I will" he said and turned to leave.

Before he left, Raven called after him. "Robin."

He turned and looked at her.

"As much as I love you, if you ever try to pull something like that on me, I'll arrange it so you can discuss it with my father. Is that clear?"

Her voice was her normal, expressionless monotone, but I noticed that Robin's face paled. He just nodded, turned around and left the room.

I turned to look at her. I noticed that her eyes were red-tinted. It was unsettling.

"Your father?"

"Forget it" she said with finality. Somehow I knew I should not dig any deeper.

* * *

"They've changed everything" Darren said, looking at us over his shoulder. "I don't know if they found out that they've been hacked or if they did it as a precaution, but I will have to start from scratch."

We had Darren try and break into Nogoryan's house systems. He had been at it for about half an hour before he gave us the bad news.

"Can you hack into this new system?"

"Of course, but it will take several hours. What worries me is that if they've discovered my hack, they probably placed the main systems behind an air gap."

"Air gap?" Beast Boy queried.

"He means that the main systems would be disconnected from the network and only accessible locally" Cyborg explained.

"Then my initial idea of paying them a visit is so far the only feasible one" Robin said.

"It was worth a try" I defended myself. "If we had some luck, we could have picked up the information without exposing us to danger."

Robin held up his hands. "I know, Match, and it was a great idea. But luck was not with us."

"It also means they could have beefed up the physical security" Raven observed.

"I wonder" Robin said. "Why is security maintained? Nogoryan is dead, his briefcase stolen… What are they guarding? Who is paying for it? He had no living family."

"As to the 'who', it is pretty obvious" I told him. He lifted an eyebrow. "What, you need me to draw you a picture? S.T.A.R. Labs!"

It came out sharper than I wanted. He looked sheepish. I was still angry at him, so I bit off the apology before I said it.

"There's a silver lining" I told him in lieu of the apology. "If the security has been beefed up it means that there is still something important to safeguard."

I turned to Darren. "How much work is it to change everything from what it was to what it is now?"

He scratched his head. "It would depend on their DRP." He noticed our blank stares. "Disaster Recovery Plan", he explained. "If they had planned for something like this and had all the equipment and procedures ready, documented and tested, it should take about a day. For a site like this and an incident like they had – or suspected they had – you normally plan for a 24 hour recovery time."

"How many people?"

"I'd say about a dozen people total working in rotation – sysadmins, database admins, security, network, support and testing. Plus acquisitions, freight, HVAC, electricity and other sundries. What I saw implies a fairly small site. No big iron or exotic devices, just standard off-the-shelf servers and routers."

"It still sounds like a considerable effort and cost" Robin said. "We may yet be lucky. Does anyone see any reason why we shouldn't go in tonight?"

"The sooner the better" I agreed. I turned to Cyborg. "Stay with Darren until we have to go and squeeze everything you can from their systems. It may come in handy once we're out there."

* * *

We were gathered on the same hill from where I was observing the estate that night when we first met. It was dusk, but we hadn't planned on starting before much later at night.

"Just a quick reminder of the plan" Robin said. "Starfire and Cyborg, you're on turret detail. Beast Boy and me will take on the guards. Raven and Match will guard our backs."

He turned to me. "All the guards Cyborg could scan are humans. You should restrict yourself to defense as much as possible. That's why I'm pairing you with Rae; she'll provide the offense. Any questions?"

There were none. It quickly grew dark enough. The moon was only a small crescent, providing no illumination. The floodlights at the estate were full on. Somebody should teach these people about the advantages of night sight. But not tonight.

We dropped in from above. I was concerned that the estate would incorporate aerial defenses, since Slade's assault was initiated from the air, but apparently whoever was in charge of security was not someone who believed in learning from mistakes. Or maybe we were heading into a trap and would soon be dead.

Starfire was carrying Cyborg and I had Robin on a second levitating disk that I had slaved to mine. It made the disk much easier to manage. Raven and Beast Boy floated silently behind us. We went over high, avoiding the floodlights. Once over the estate, we all streaked down.

Starfire dropped Cyborg some thirty feet off the ground and immediately turned to the first of the three turrets she was supposed to handle. A shower of starbolts struck the turret and obliterated it, but Starfire was already beaming the second one into oblivion. Cyborg took his first turret out with his cannon while still in the air, dropping on top of the second one and slamming his fist though its upper armor, silencing it.

Shouts rose all around us as tracers started seeking Cyborg and Starfire. On a cue from Robin I dismissed the disk he was on. He fell off it, rolled over his shoulder and sprang up, his bo staff already extended and whirling to knock down one of the guards. Several guards started converging on him and I was about to give him shielding, when a green panther dropped soundlessly behind them and then roared, making them jump up and turn around in consternation, forgetting about Robin. Beast Boy turned into a gorilla, grabbed one of the guards by the legs and used him as a club, clearing his immediate vicinity of hostiles quickly and efficiently. Robin joined him and they soon cleared out the rest in a beautiful display of choreographed violence.

Not having much else to do, I created a couple of shields in front of the two remaining turrets to give Cy and Star some safety. They didn't really need it, but it helped getting rid of the last two turrets quickly. There were only a few guards remaining. I left them to Beast Boy and Robin to mop up and floated higher to get a better look over the estate.

I noticed a building that looked like a helicopter hangar. I levitated closer, to check if there was a chopper inside. If there was one, I would have to wreck it so that no one could escape with important data.

As I approached, the hangar doors burst open and three huge, metallic figures emerged from it. I barely had time to put up a shield in front of me before streams of 20 mm Vulcan rounds started reaching towards me.

I started to flit closer but the three guys in exoskeletons split up, trying to catch me in a crossfire. I floated quickly down, throwing a disk towards the nearest one, as close to the ground as possible. I was trying not to cut off any legs or feet. The disk streaked away, mowing down grass and shrubbery, struck the metallic giant in the shins, penetrated half an inch and stopped, shivering. I dismissed it and floated up and back, keeping my defensive disk between me and my assailants.

"Rae! Need some of that offense now!" I shouted. "They have force mesh under the armor!"

I heard her _Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!_ behind me. The two exos on the sides were lifted up and smashed together, the third caught in the middle. I floated back towards her voice, creating another defensive disk to give her cover as she dealt with the enemy.

"This is getting ridiculous!" I grumbled. "They seem to have been expecting you" she commented.

One of the operators was lifting his exo from the ground, bringing the chain gun to bear on Raven. I covered her with a disk and floated to the side, an idea forming in my head. The other two were also getting up. Raven's attack had dazed the operators but it didn't damage the machines. Considering what was under the armor, it was not surprising. But you can't protect everything with force mesh. I just had to find the weak spot.

I tossed two disks at the closest exoskeleton. The first flew true and sliced off the chain gun. The second was aiming for the knee, because the joints could not be protected with force mesh, but they were difficult to hit. Unsurprisingly, the disk hit the metallic thigh instead and stopped, buried in half an inch of steel and composites.

I dismissed it and quickly made a visual check of the Titans to make sure they were safe. Starfire was already streaking towards us to help, while the three boys were containing a group of guards that had burst from inside the house. Raven was dodging the gunfire and missiles going her way.

I covered her again and flew closer, keeping one disk protecting her and another covering myself.

"Can you do that thing again? What you just did?"

"Just say when!" she shouted back. I floated to the side, careful to keep her covered, while she attracted their fire.

" _When!_ " I cried. Again she used telekinesis to grab one of the exos and swing it into the other two like a rag doll. All three went down. I streaked in, extending a blade in each hand, and started slashing. First I sliced off everything that looked like a weapon – the exos were equipped with a chain gun in the right arm and shoulder-mounted missile launchers. Once these were taken care of, I tried to cut off anything that looked like a sensor, comms antenna or camera. As I was doing this I heard Raven shout a warning. Instinctively I made my disk jerk back and up. It probably saved my life.

Instead of smashing my head like a ripe melon, the huge metallic paw of one of the exos slammed into my left side, throwing me off the disk and onto the ground a dozen feet away. My shoulder was numb, but the left side of my chest was a sea of pain. I tried to get some air back into my lungs, but breathing in caused blinding agony to shoot from my ribs into my skull. I fell back to the ground, breathing shallowly, seeing the exo stomp towards me with the obvious intention of turning me into compost.

It was met with a barrage of starbolts, throwing it back on his two companions that were also getting up. Cyborg's sonic beam streaked into them for good measure. Raven floated down and started ripping pieces off the exos – an arm here, a leg there. As I suspected, the joints were not protected by force mesh and could be damaged with enough power applied. And Rae was applying a lot.

It took only a few seconds to turn the three exoskeletons into three guys surrounded by a bunch of scrap. A green gorilla bounded towards them, grabbed all three into his long arms and threw them against the wall of the chopper hangar. They flew, crashed, slumped and lay still.

Raven landed beside me. "I'm fine!" I said as I struggled to get up. My left arm was still numb and hanging uselessly. I forced myself to breathe shallowly and not wince with the pain every time I did it.

"Don't give me that!" she told me coldly.

"I'm telling you, I'm fine! I just need to get my breath back!" Thankfully, the humerus did not appear to be broken. The numbness was a product of crushed nerves and my arm and shoulder were slowly recovering. She must have felt my relief because the anger in her eyes subsided a little.

I breathed in deeply but slowly. I didn't cough up any blood, so the ribs were not broken, only cracked. I could pull through. As long as she didn't find out.

She still looked at me suspiciously. "Do you have any painkillers on hand?" I asked her, not only to allay her concern but also because I didn't mind having a truckload of those right now. She nodded and handed me an auto-injector. I took it, holding it gingerly with my left hand, just to show that it was starting to work again. I unscrewed the cap, took the syringe in my right hand and stabbed the needle in my thigh.

The painkiller acted quickly. I checked my left arm, almost fully recovered, and grinned at her. She was still scowling at me, but the others joined us and after I assured everyone I was fine, we proceeded towards the house.

She fell in step beside me as we approached the house. "That was stupid and unnecessary!" she told me coldly.

"Not unnecessary, but I'll grant you it was stupid" I replied. "It was stupid to stay as long as I did. I had cut off all the weapons, I could have left them without ranged attack capability and we could have slowly ground them down."

My admission of guilt seemed to have mollified her, because her scowl cleared up and her face returned to her normal, composed expression.

We walked into the house carefully, expecting an attack any moment. We split in three pairs to search the place. Darren assured us that the data center was probably located in the basement, since it would provide the best conditions for environment control, but we needed to make sure that there were no more guards left.

We didn't find anyone. The guards were all dealt with and the staff probably worked only during business hours. This was a godsend for us, otherwise someone would have to stay and watch over any civilians, keeping them in line and at the same time calming them.

We finished searching the house and gathered around the basement door. It was solid steel, with a combination lock. I poked it with a small blade.

"We got lucky, there is no force mesh or cage here" I said. I pointed to the others to move aside as I slid the blade through the door, making an opening large enough for Cyborg to go through. The cut section, two inches thick, fell down with a deafening clang. As soon as it fell, a double stream of tracer rounds poured from the room beyond and through the opening.

Cyborg's hand grabbed my hood and yanked me out of the way, as the tracers sailed beside me, leaving only two smoldering holes in my cape.

"Thanks, big guy!"

"You should be more careful, girl!" he was frowning down at me. I realized that he was right. I was trying to prove myself to them. It was stupid and it was dangerous. I never took such chances before.

"You and Rae are both right. I don't know what's come over me. I'll be more careful from now on. Let me handle this, I promise I won't take any risks."

He let go of my hood, still frowning. I created a defensive disk beyond the door, where I could just barely see it, and peeked inside. Rounds were smashing into the disk, but I could keep it up for a week this way. I noticed two automated turrets covering the door. I pulled back and dismissed the disk.

"Two turrets, 20 mm chain guns, IR sensors. Probably also radar and motion detection. Who wants to have the honor?"

"I'll do it. Cover me with your shield" Cyborg said.

"OK, I'll tell you when" I said and created a defensive disk again. I looked inside, slowly pushing the disk forward. I created another one and pushed them both ahead, one towards each of the turrets, which were now firing a continuous and ineffective stream of rounds at the disks.

"All yours, Cy" I told him. He stepped through the door and with two well-placed blasts silenced the turrets. We followed him.

I kept the two disks active, bringing them closer to cover us in case something popped out from the walls, but that was the last defense we had to deal with. We searched the basement.

The entire basement was turned into a small but well-equipped laboratory. I recognized an electron microscope and a mass spec analyzer, but the rest was a mystery to me. We quickly located the data center. Cyborg tried the door and finding it locked, solved the issue by simply ripping it off the hinges. We went in and I took several pictures of the racked servers for reference. We started removing the disks from the servers, noting the numbers on them with a felt-tip, each set going into a different bag.

I cut up several desktops that were laying about and ripped the disks out to take them with us just in case. Robin found some laptops stacked on a shelf and we took those, too.

I finally saw a locked metal cabinet. It took only a few seconds to carefully cut out the lock. I opened it. A row of plastic boxes with backup tapes greeted me.

"Bingo!" I shouted, making everyone turn towards me. "Paydirt!"

Cyborg handed me a bag and I started shoving all the backup tapes I could see into it. "I hope these are recent" I said. I looked at the dates on the tapes. The last dates were from about a month ago. I realized they were rotating the tapes on a monthly basis. While not brand new, it was a fantastic catch.

"I think we're finished." I said. "Let's go home."

* * *

As we flew back, I approached Raven and called to her.

"Rae, can you do me a favor and take over Robin? I have some business I need to take care of. I'll be back in the Tower in a couple of hours."

She lifted an eyebrow but did not comment. She created a black disk, similar to mine, and we had Robin step over. I waved goodbye and flew away.

The effect of the painkillers was ebbing. I could again feel pain if I tried to breathe too deeply or too quickly. I pulled a disposable cell phone from a pocket in my cape. I scanned the stored numbers until I found the one I was looking for. I dialed it.

After a brief conversation, I flew over to the address I had just obtained. I landed, dismissed my disk and rang the bell.

In my line of work there are certain bits of information that you always have to keep handy. In this case, contact numbers of at least one doctor in each major city, preferably a traumatologist, and one that didn't mind looking the other way, especially if you caught his eye with several hundred-dollar bills.

The doc received me without grumbling, even though it was well past midnight. I supposed it was nothing new to him. I explained what happened. He took some quick X-rays and looked at them, frowning.

"Two cracked ribs and some hematoma" he said. "You should wear a cast and avoid moving the next couple of weeks."

"If I wanted to hear that I'd go to a hospital" I replied, annoyed. He seemed unaffected by my outburst, obviously used to his patients not listening to his sage advice.

"I can give you a corset that will help a little, and painkillers, also. But be aware that painkillers will only mask the pain, the cause is still there and it will bite you in the ass if you ignore it. You will also need antibiotics to forestall any infections."

"Now you're talking. Let's have all that, and the bill, too, while you're at it."

He spent the next five minutes explaining to me how to put the corset on. "Drop by in a week to see how you're doing. If you start coughing blood, call an ambulance immediately. Try to move as little as possible. Don't abuse the painkillers."

I handed him a thick sheaf of currency. "Thanks, doc. See ya next week!"

The corset was uncomfortable, but it helped. In any case it was better than wearing a plaster cast. I created a disk and flew to the Tower.


	16. Chapter 16

By the time I arrived in the Tower, the Ops room was empty except for Robin, hunched over a workstation.

"There's some leftovers on the counter. Help yourself if you're hungry" he said without turning.

I winced. "I'll pass. When's the new fridge coming?"

"Tomorrow."

I sat on the couch, watching him for a minute.

"Do you always work at this hour?"

"Best time to do it" he replied absentmindedly, his eyes still glued to the monitor.

"No interruptions, right?"

"Mmmhmmm"

"OK, I get the hint" I said. I sat there for a few minutes, sharing the silence with him.

It was late, I was tired and sleepy and I wanted to get to my room and fall into bed, but the couch held me in its comfortable arms, the silence in the room pleasant, calming.

After a few minutes I realized I was going to fall asleep on the couch soon. I was just about to bid Robin good night and go to my room when he stretched, yawned and turned off the computer he was working on. "That's enough for tonight."

He got up and walked over to stand beside me. "Anything you'd like to tell me?" he asked, looking at me.

I stared back at him. "You're still on my shit list, you know. Being suspicious will not improve your chances of getting off it."

He ignored my jibe, still studying me carefully.

I couldn't help getting angry. "I didn't go to see Slade, OK?"

"I know you're hiding something, Match. I can feel it. I just hope…"

"I understand your concern" I cut him off, raising a hand. "Don't worry. I'm telling you, it's not Slade."

"So what is it?"

"You're not going to let me go until I spill it, will you?"

He just nodded, his eyes locked on mine.

I sighed, resigned. "I went to a doctor" I said, raising the hem of the sweater I was wearing to reveal the corset. "Two cracked ribs."

He frowned. "Why didn't you have Raven fix it?"

"Because healing hurts her."

There was anger in his eyes at my implied rebuke. "Do you think we don't know that?"

"Then why do you let her do it?" I asked, my anger bursting through to meet his own. "How can you let your friend –"

"She is an empath!" he almost shouted. The vehemence in his words startled me. Suddenly I understood. I felt like an idiot.

"You mean –"

"She can feel the pain radiating from you. It hurts her a lot more than the couple of seconds it takes to absorb your pain and then release it."

I looked down, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Shit."

His voice was still angry. "Shit is right. You screwed up. See that you don't screw up any more."

I snapped my eyes back up at his. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"Do I have to draw you a picture?" he said sarcastically.

Again, the proverbial light bulb lit up in my head. I felt heat rushing to my face. _Boy, did I fuck up._

I took several stupid and unnecessary risks. I got myself hurt. I lied about it, even though we're supposed to be friends. But the worst thing was that I put them in danger. I was impaired and not at peak efficiency and I hid that fact from them. In the middle of a battle.

"I… I'm sorry. I didn't realize…"

"No. You didn't _think_." He turned to go, reached the door and turned back to me again.

"It's about time you stop treating us like kids. We may be young but we're not children. If anyone needs to grow up it's you."

He left me. I stood there, staring at the floor for a few minutes, ashamed, furious. As much as his words hurt, they did so because he was right. I went to my room.

I squirmed out of my clothes, removed the corset and dropped into bed.

Just as I was drifting away, I heard knocking at the door. I got up, snatched my trusty bathrobe and put it on. _Please let it be Robin wanting to apologize. Please let it not be…_

"Hi, Rae. Come in."

"What was that all about? You two woke me up."

I sat on my bed. "Long story."

"We've got time" she said, sitting beside me.

I snorted. "At least you put it more gently than Robin" I said.

She remained silent, waiting for me to go on.

"I lied to you" I told her finally.

She nodded. "I suspected as much. Did you go to see a doctor?"

"Yes. Two cracked ribs. He gave me some stuff to tide me over."

"And Robin was furious because your little charade endangered us all."

"You sure you're not a telepath?"

She smiled. "Maybe I should leave you guessing."

I sighed and looked down. "I'm still acting like a spoiled brat. Robin called me out on it. He was right to be pissed off."

"As you said this morning, it is difficult to change the habits of a lifetime. But it's obvious that you're trying to do something about it. You can't ask for better."

"Yes you can, when your friends' lives are at stake!"

"Rome wasn't built in one day. We had our butts kicked many times, but we learned and improved. That's the way it works."

I said nothing. I was still angry at myself and I didn't want her to make me feel better.

She shifted a little. "A few years ago, a girl came to us. Her name was Terra. She had power over earth and rock, but she had problems controlling that power. We tried to help her, took her in. She… she had problems adjusting. In some fights she would get in the way. But she learned." Her eyes had a faraway look. "Yes, she learned."

She shook her head, as if trying to clear it. "Of course, it was me that she found most difficult to work with. But in the end she learned to trust me."

I looked at her. She was looking straight ahead, eyes unfocused, reliving the past.

"She learned to trust me, and I… trusted her. We saved the Tower from Slade's attack."

My shame and anger were forgotten. There was something in that terse story that was upsetting her. I wondered if I should dig deeper.

"What happened to her?"

Raven looked at me, her eyes expressionless. "She sacrificed herself to stop a volcano from swallowing half the city."

A tragic tale. No wonder she was reluctant to talk about it.

"I'm sorry" I said, meaning it.

"It's all right. Lie down and let me see those ribs."

I laid down, knowing it was pointless to argue. She opened my bathrobe and smirked.

"Do you always run around like that?"

"I sleep naked."

"Somehow it doesn't surprise me" she said as she placed her hands on my chest and side. She closed her eyes and I could feel the healing take hold.

She finished healing me, but she still kept her hands on me, one on my chest, between my breasts, and the other on my left side. Her hands were warm, her touch gentle. I felt warmth spread through my body, my heart beat faster. Then I remembered that she was an empath and that she was aware of what I was feeling. My face burned. I closed my bathrobe, gently removing her hands. I pulled my legs up, hugging my knees.

"You just need some time" she whispered as she got up and left.

* * *

I woke up early. I was still tired, the kaleidoscopic dreams I had not quite a nightmare, but still disturbing enough to affect me. I shrugged them off, showered and went for breakfast.

The Ops room was quiet, but not empty. I was a bit surprised to see Raven and Starfire, both floating in lotus position in front of the huge, freshly repaired panoramic window, greeting the morning sun. I approached them, stepping softly, not wanting to disturb them. I heard them both softly chant Raven's mantra in unison. They were meditating together.

I slowly shook my head. Will wonders never cease?

As silently as I could I went to get some breakfast. The eggs were gone, together with the ham and the bacon. The only thing left besides some unappetizing, dry pizza crusts were a couple of boxes of cereal. I found a bottle of milk, opened it and sniffed it suspiciously. It didn't appear spoiled. I'd chance it.

I poured the milk into a tin cup and placed it on the stove, avoiding using the microwave so as not to disturb Rae and Star with beeping and dinging. I waited impatiently, dipping my finger into the milk every few seconds to see if it was warm enough. As soon as it was more than tepid, I poured it over the cereal and sat down to eat.

I chewed slowly, not really caring what I was eating, looking at an undefined spot in front of me, letting my mind wander. Starfire's enthusiastic "Good morning, friend Match!" caught me completely off-guard and made me jump, spilling what was left of my breakfast.

"Oh, I'm sorry, friend Match! I did not realize you were in the jumpy mood again!"

It was impossible to be even annoyed with the effervescent Tamaranian. I smiled at her and waved my hand dismissively.

"Don't worry, Star. I was just woolgathering."

"Oh, I would love to join you in the gathering of the wool! Do you have the sheep, too?"

Raven snorted. "It's just a saying, Starfire. It means Match was thinking deeply about nothing."

Starfire was puzzled. "But how can you think the deep thoughts about nothing?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's just a saying, Star. You two were meditating?"

"Yes, once a week friend Raven and I get together at dawn for the meditation and the hanging out" Star said, clasping her hands. "Today we will do the hanging out in the mall of shopping!"

I glanced at Raven, just in time to see her wince slightly. I smiled. "Well, if you two don't mind, I'd love to join you. I need to buy a few things for myself."

"That would be glorious!" Starfire exclaimed, swooping down on me and embracing me in her rib-crushing hug. I cringed, both from the hug and from the realization that if Rae didn't heal me last night I'd be in very big trouble.

"Did you two get any breakfast?" I asked them.

"Just about to" Raven said, as she also poked around, looking for something remotely edible.

"The milk looks OK" I told her. "You can chance it, like I did, or you can wait and see if I'll be running for the bathroom soon."

She gave me a tiny smile. "I'll chance it."

"Robin said they'll be bringing the new fridge in today" I said. "That would be great. We really need it."

"You just had to rub it in, didn't you?" she said, exasperation in her voice. I looked up at her, surprised, then remembered. I blushed. "Sorry, didn't mean to!"

I was saved from further embarrassment by Robin walking in and greeting us all. He came to the table and sat down across from me. He studied me for a moment.

"You OK?"

I nodded and answered quietly "Rae fixed me. I'm as good as new."

"Good" he replied, also quietly, keeping it between us. "Sorry I came down so hard on you last night."

"It's OK. You were right. I should thank you for kicking me out of my complacency."

"So, I'm still on the shit list?" he grinned at me.

I grinned back. "Let's say you moved a couple of places down."

I got up and went over to talk to Cyborg, who was just walking into the room.

"Moring, Cy!"

"Hey, Match, how's it doing?"

"Fine. You guys started working on the disks already?"

He grinned. "Robin wanted us to, but it was like one A.M. So I managed to convince him to let me catch a few winks first. We're starting right after breakfast."

"Listen, I have a request for you" I told him.

"Shoot!"

"I'd like a harness or something so that I can carry that damn briefcase on my back. Right now, if I get into a fight I have to drop it and anyone can just pick it up while I may be busy elsewhere."

"Sure, I don't see any problem with it. I'll have it for you by late afternoon."

"Great!" I told him, patting his shoulder. I left him to his breakfast.

* * *

Personally I despise shopping malls, but it was early enough and it wasn't crowded. We managed to drag Raven into a few fashion stores and even got her interested enough to buy a few things. However, after the fifteenth time that Starfire requested our opinion by modeling her latest choice for us, she was obviously starting to get frisky. I took pity on her and let her go to the bookstore, while I helped Starfire with the selection.

I managed to find everything I wanted, except for a spare hooded cape. It figured. Stuff like that could only be found around Halloween. But I didn't mind; I had a tailor that made them for me on request. I'd email him to send me a couple more to the Tower.

Getting Raven out of a bookstore turned out to be more difficult than pulling Starfire out of a boutique, but we finally managed to drag her out. We wrapped up our visit by sitting down for a cup. Starfire did most of the talking. I listened to her, at first not paying much attention to what she was talking about, but enjoying her exuberance and the sound of her voice. Her enthusiasm was infectious and I soon found myself joining her fully in conversation, while Raven sat, still silent and sipping her tea, a small smile on her lips.

We finally got back to the Tower and split up, going to our rooms to store our recent acquisitions. I unpacked my stuff, put it in the dresser and went to the lab to talk to Cyborg.

The lab was noisy. There were several servers running with their covers off, their fans sounding like a small jet airplane taking off. Keyboards, monitors and mice were all over the place and tangles of cables were already hopelessly snarled. I smiled as I took in a geek's idea of heaven.

I went over to Darren and squeezed his shoulder in greeting. He just grunted, comparing the pictures that I took with the numbers written with felt-tip on one of the disks, before sliding it into a server and latching it. He reached for the next disk. I realized he didn't even notice me. I shook my head, still smiling, and went over to Cyborg.

"Hey Cy, how's that harness doing?"

He grinned up at me. "All ready and waiting for you."

He got up and took the harness from a cabinet, offering it to me. "I adapted a military parachute harness for it. You have to twist the release a half-circle before punching it to get it off" he said as he helped me put the harness on and showing me how to release it.

"This is great. Thanks, big guy!" I told him and kissed his cheek. His grin turned huge.

I went back to my room and secured the briefcase to the harness. I tried it on, adjusting the straps for best fit and least bother. Satisfied, I twisted and punched the release and removed the harness.

I turned on my laptop and busied myself with funds transfers, mailing my tailor and the many urgent but unimportant things that had to be done. A couple of hours went by. I was in the middle of catching up on some of my favorite Web pages when the Crime Alert sounded.

I ran out to the Ops room, but before I reached it, another alarm tone overlaid the first one. As I burst into the Ops room, a third alarm mixed with the two already sounding.

Robin was looking at the main monitor with a concerned frown on his face. He moved his hands over the console and the map of the city appeared on the monitor, three yellow dots blinking on it.

"Cinderblock breaking things downtown" he said, as he made one of the yellow dots pulse red. He pressed several keys and another yellow dot turned red. "That's Plasmus in the sewage treatment plant!"

He identified the last yellow dot and it also became red. "Overload. Municipal power station."

"All three at the same time? Are they planning to merge into Ternion?" Cyborg asked.

"Probably. We'll have to split up and take them on before they can do that" Robin said. "Cyborg, you and Beast Boy take Cinderblock. Starfire and I will deal with Plasmus. Raven, Match, go for Overload. Titans! Go!"

I ran back to my room and put on the harness with the briefcase. On impulse I grabbed a post-it and wrote _'It isn't here. M.'_ on it, leaving it stuck above the headboard of my bed. Three simultaneous alerts could only mean that someone wanted to make sure we were out of the Tower and busy for an hour or so. Hopefully Red X would get the message and not make a mess of my room.

I ran out to find Raven waiting impatiently for me.

"Where were you? The longer Overload sucks power in, the harder it will be to take him down!"

"I had to get the briefcase" I told her. She nodded. "Can you teleport us there?" I asked.

"I prefer to conserve my strength. Let's fly, it's not that far."

"I also left a note for Red X" I said, grinning at her. She looked at me questioningly, then understood what I was talking about. She frowned. "He'd better not try getting into _my_ room" she said, her voice dangerous.

I laughed, the wind whipping my face as I floated behind her as fast as I could.

As we flew over, Raven gave me a quick breakdown of Overload, his capabilities and vulnerabilities. He could be taken down by dissipating the electrical power he absorbs, and the easiest way to do it was by soaking him with water. It was not something I was an expert in, so we agreed that I would get his attention while Rae looked for a source of water.

After a few minutes we arrived at the power station. We didn't have to look for Overload. He was already reaching a height of nine feet and electricity was coursing and crackling through his body.

I threw a couple of disks at him. They sailed through him without doing any apparent harm, but I certainly got his attention. He turned to me and sent a sizzling electric arc my way, only to have it explode harmlessly against the defensive disk that I had put up hastily.

"Keep him busy" Raven shouted, while I hopped off my disk and dismissed it. Overload sent several more bolts into my shield, forcing me to concentrate on maintaining it. He packed quite a wallop. Still keeping up my protection, I sent another disk spinning at him, cutting off an arm. The severed arm disappeared, but he simply created another one. I wondered if I was about to go through the same shit as with Rouge, endlessly slicing off appendages without much to show for it.

I moved around him, keeping his attention on me. Rae was searching for a water source, but I didn't want to look straight at her and remind Sparkleface that she was there. It was just as I started to feel safe, seeing that his bolts could not penetrate my shield, when he pointed both arms together at me and loosed the mother of all bolts.

The bolt almost overwhelmed my shielding. I managed to keep it up and avoided the worst of it, but several tendrils curled around the edge and struck at me and around me.

I was thrown back, my left shoulder and right hip smoldering, my mind bewildered and my shield gone. I was wide open for his next strike. I gaped at him, mouth open, while my brain was functioning only as a recording device, seeing him getting ready to finish me off, hearing the crackle of electrical currents coursing through his body, smelling the ozone and burnt fabric and flesh, without comprehending what it all meant.

I heard Raven shout something, but my addled mind could not connect the sounds with words. I saw a fire hydrant being enveloped in a black mist and ripped off the pavement, the resulting water spout deflected off a black disk and onto Overload. He screamed and disappeared.

I rose from the ground, my thoughts finally starting to connect to each other. Raven landed beside me. I waved her off. "Later" I groaned. I was angry at myself, angry at Overload and whoever sent him here, angry even at Robin for making us fight this monster. The anger finally got my adrenaline working and my head cleared. I knew what to do now.

Raven looked at me once again and realized I was out of my daze, able to fend for myself. She flitted up as I called out to her. "I have an idea. Water works too slowly. I can –"

A roar interrupted me. A voltage transformer nearby exploded in debris and electric arcs as Overload appeared from it, back to his nine-foot size. I started to create a disk to cover us, but I was too late.

A searing bolt shot from his arm and smashed into Raven, throwing her back as she fell to the ground, unconscious. As Overload turned to me I created a disk on each side of him, slamming them together, trapping him like a fly between two sheets of glass. I held him like that for a few moments. Seeing he was helpless, I let my breath out slowly. My idea had worked. The force disks are perfect insulators, so I just had to keep him pressed tight between them and he wouldn't be able to let loose any more bolts.

I ran over to Rae, without leaving the disks trapping Overload out of my sight. I knelt beside her and risked a quick look down. Second degree burns on chest and abdomen, but only superficial. I placed a hand over her throat to feel her pulse, still keeping Overload and the disks in the corner of my eye.

There was no heartbeat.

Unconsciously I squeezed the disks holding Overload together even more. I took out the communicator and flipped it open.

"Need help here! Anyone listening?"

Cyborg's voice crackled back. "We've just finished with Cinderblock. What's up?"

"Raven's down. No pulse. No breathing. Will give CPR. Get your asses here!"

"On our way. Keep the channel open."

I placed Rae so that I could administer CPR while at the same time keep an eye on Overload and the disks imprisoning him. I placed my right hand over the left one, pressed down hard on her sternum.

 _One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight…_

I pushed thirty times, placed my lips over hers and blew twice into her lungs.

 _One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven…_

I kept massaging her heart and ventilating her lungs. After a few minutes, my arms started hurting.

 _One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six…_

I stopped thinking, consumed completely by the rhythm of thirty compressions, two ventilations. I ignored the pain in my arms.

 _One. Two. Three. Four. Five…_

Every time I pushed down, I squeezed the disks harder together. I hoped Overload was not dead. Not yet. I had plans for him.

 _One. Two. Three. Four..._

A large, metallic hand fell on my shoulder.

"I'll take over" Cyborg said.

I got up, my arms burning. I didn't care. I watched Cyborg as he uncoiled a defibrillator from somewhere in his armor. He placed it on Raven's chest and said "Clear!"

Raven's body shook under the current. Once, twice, three times Cyborg tried. Nothing happened. He shook his head.

I noticed it. "Again!" I hissed at him. He tried twice more, with the same result. Frustrated, he tried a final time, keeping the electrodes down a second longer.

Raven gasped and started breathing again.

* * *

Cyborg and me left the rest to deal with the three monsters, now vanquished, as we returned to the Tower with Raven's unconscious body. We brought her to Sickbay and I stood watching Cyborg as he connected her to the monitoring machines.

"Now we have to wait" he said.

I scowled at him. "What do you mean 'wait'?"

"Look at her" he said instead of answering. I glanced at Raven, saw that her prone body was floating maybe half an inch above the bed. My eyes widened.

"She's in a healing trance. She'll fix herself better that any doctor could. I just have to supply the glucose and keep her from dehydrating."

Relief washed over me so hard that I felt my knees tremble. I had to sit down. "How long?" I asked Cyborg.

"Two hours? Two days? I have no idea."

"I'll wait."

He looked at me, lifted his only eyebrow. I sat beside Raven and watched her. Her breathing was almost imperceptible, but regular.

I sat there for another hour. The other Titans showed up, having delivered Cinderblock, Plasmus and Overload to the police. Relieved that Raven was doing well, they slowly left the infirmary.

After a couple of hours more, Cyborg walked in and came to my side. He placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Get some rest. There's nothing you can do."

"I'll wait."

"If she wakes up and finds out you've been sitting here all the time, without eating or resting, she'll be angry. You won't like Raven when she's angry" he said, a grin on his face.

I snorted, realized he was right, got up and stretched. "I'll be in my room" I told him. "Let me know the second her condition changes, or I'll get angry. You won't like me when _I'm_ angry" I told him, flashing him a grateful grin.

"Off you go" he said as he shooed me out. I went to my room.

* * *

As I walked into my room, I immediately noticed that the post-it I'd left was moved. I picked it up and read it. There was a note just beneath mine.

 _Another time. X._

I crumpled the note in my hand, suddenly enraged. The whole fucking thing was his fault. Next time I saw him, I was going to kill him. Slowly.

I forced myself to relax, taking a few deep breaths. I removed the harness, dropping the briefcase beside the bed. The communicator buzzed.

I flipped it open. _Unknown number_. What the fuck does _he_ want?

"That was some good thinking, Match" Slade's voice came through.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Just to congratulate you on thinking ahead and keeping the briefcase safe for me."

"It isn't yours."

"A temporary state of affairs."

"You didn't call me to congratulate me. What do you want?"

"Is it wrong for me to give a few compliments to my girlfriend?"

"If you don't say what you want right now, I'm hanging up!"

He was silent for a second, probably chuckling. "You handled Overload exceptionally well" he said, his voice smooth as black velvet.

"That's it, this conversation is obviously not going anywhere. Drop dead." I reached to cut off the line.

"I also saw what happened to your… friend" he said quickly, preventing me from hanging up. "How is the young demoness?"

"She'll be fi –" I blinked. "What did you say?"

He laughed. I hope I never hear that laugh again. It was as pleasant as chewing broken glass.

"You never knew? She didn't tell you? _They_ didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Oh, Match, you always have some surprise in store for me. I was convinced that you have heard our sorceress' life story by now."

"I do not pry into the private lives of my friends!" I said loudly, agitated.

"Maybe you should. That way you can avoid hearing unpleasant things from others."

"Hearing what? Where are you going with this shit?"

"Oh, no. No, I wouldn't dream of gossiping. But do ask your… friend, once she gets better. Ask her who her daddy is. Ask her what happened on her sixteenth birthday. Ask her if she thinks she is _free of his taint_."

He hissed those last words at me. I cut him off and threw the communicator away from me as if it was a poisonous snake.

* * *

I paced my room, unable to calm down. My mind was in turmoil, everything that Slade said and all the remembered hints that Raven dropped whirling around, trying to connect to each other into a coherent whole and failing miserably.

In these cases I would usually just sit down quietly and not think of anything, letting my subconscious sort it out. It was good at that kind of things. But I couldn't calm myself, couldn't sit down and stare blankly into nothing. I finally gave up and walked to the infirmary.

"How is she?" I barked at Cyborg before even crossing the doorway. He looked up, surprised at my tone.

"She's fine. The life signs are stronger. Her heart and lungs are nominal, her brain functions are recovering. She should be back with us soon."

I walked over to her. I looked at her prone body, the sight calming me for some reason. She looked small and defenseless, like a child. I fought the urge to take her in my arms.

I sat down beside her, still looking at her. I felt Cyborg's presence behind me.

"Match, what happened?"

"Slade called me" I said, without taking my eyes off her. "He was monitoring us as we fought Overload. He saw Raven go down. I think he wanted to gloat."

I heard Cyborg curse softly. I couldn't tear my eyes off her.

"Cyborg, who – _what_ is she?" I asked him, my eyes still glued to her prone form. "No, forget it. If she wants, she will tell me."

"I think that would be best."

I heard him turn back to watch the monitors. I kept staring at her, almost afraid to blink.

Next thing I knew was Cyborg's hand on my shoulder, again. I started, snapping my head up, realizing I had dozed off.

"She'll wake any moment. All vital signs are nominal, alpha waves indicate she's in REM sleep."

"She's dreaming" I said. Cyborg nodded.

I got up, stretched. "Thanks, Cy" I told him. "I think I'll be going back to my –"

A small sigh escaped Raven's lips.

"On second thought, not yet" I said as we both looked at her. "Get the others" I told him. He nodded and strode off to call the rest of the Titans.

I sat down beside her again. She righted herself, eyes still closed. Her hands went to her head. Another painful sigh came from her.

"Rae?" I asked softly. She opened her eyes and looked at me. "How are you?"

"A lot better than I was. What happened?"

"Overload struck you with one of his bolts" I told her.

"Your heart stopped" Cyborg interrupted. "Luckily for you, this young lady kept administering CPR until I could arrive and save you" he grinned.

I frowned at him. "Knock it off, Cyborg!"

She looked at him, then at me. "Thank you" she said simply.

"Don't thank me. You did a lot more for me."

"What, are you keeping score?"

Cyborg laughed, a strange sound in the quiet infirmary. "Those words are enough for me to know that you're fine. Let's get you to your room."

The other Titans ran in, anxious. There was an explosion of joy. Starfire and Beast Boy hugged her, while she struggled ineffectually to free herself. Robin, Cyborg and me were beaming at her. She finally fought off the hugs and shouted "Enough! You're making my head hurt!"

Cyborg scooped her up in his arms. "Let's get you to your room, little sis."

He carried her to her room, the rest of us following in his wake. He put her gently in her bed, covered her up. "Sleep now. You'll feel a lot better in the morning."

He turned to us, shooing us from the doorway where we were clustered, a fierce expression on his face.

I went to my room, fell into bed and was instantly asleep.

* * *

Well, I almost did it but I chickened out at the last moment. I'm still not sure of what is going to happen between them.

Thanks for hanging on to the story so far, and please do leave a review or drop me a PM if you want.


	17. Chapter 17

I woke up, showered and dressed mechanically and went to the Ops room. The new fridge was in, but nobody had thought of filling it. _Someone should go grocery shopping,_ I thought pointlessly.

I sat down on the couch without having any breakfast. I just couldn't bother with the intellectual effort required to come up with a solution to that problem. I stared at the panoramic window.

The room slowly filled up, but I ignored it. Snatches of conversations floated into my ears, to be dismissed as background noise.

"… I _totally_ owned concrete-brain's ass yesterday, dude!"

"… all encrypted. The disks, the tapes, everything!"

"… check the disks from the desktops and laptops, maybe someone left the passphrase…"

"… such a _glorious_ morning!"

"I said, good morning!"

Her voice finally percolated to my consciousness. I looked up at her.

"Hi. Sorry, I spaced out."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"You can't hide it from me, you know."

"No, really, I'm fine. I just need some time to think."

"About what?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Personal shit. Meaning I need time on my own. Excuse me."

I got up, headed for my room, then decided I couldn't stand being there. I took the stairs up and ended on the Tower's roof.

The view was spectacular. I breathed with full lungs, the tangy sea air invigorating. It was a perfect morning, I was in a perfect place at a perfect time. The only thing not feeling perfect was me.

I knelt in seiza and closed my eyes, feeling the ocean breeze caress my face and rustle in my clothes.

I suddenly chuckled. _Fuck me if I'm not getting all angsty._

I sighed and realized that, as usual, my subconscious mind had already reached a decision. As usual again, it left the implementation details to the rest of me. Typical.

But there was one thing that needed to be done first. I got up and went to her room.

I didn't knock. I just placed the fingers of my right hand on the door and waited. After a few seconds, the door shone with black light and sighed open.

She was levitating about a foot off the ground, in her meditation pose. She stretched her legs to the floor, the levitation spell gone.

"Sorry if I interrupted your meditation" I said.

"It's OK. I can always resume later. Did you need something?"

I stood at the entrance, arms folded across my chest, my eyebrows up.

She frowned, puzzled. "All right, please come in and have a seat!"

She followed me with her gaze as I walked to an armchair and sat down.

"I thought we were close enough to be able to dispense with such trivialities" she said, still frowning.

"Are we?" I told her, watching her coldly. "You know almost everything there is to know about me. I know fuck all about you."

She recoiled very slightly, both at my coldness and at my choice of words. But for Raven, that slight start was like doubling over in pain for someone else.

"I… I'm sorry. I'd rather keep some things for myself."

"So I guess I'm not good enough." A cold rage started creeping up on me, growing by the minute.

She looked at me pleadingly. "No! Don't say that!"

"Why not? Everybody else knows. Cyborg and the others know."

Her eyes were afraid. "Did he… did they tell you?"

"No. They are your friends. They didn't tell me anything."

"Then who…"

"While you were recovering I had a call from Slade. He was watching us as we fought Overload. He saw you go down. He wanted to gloat. He isn't blind, you see."

Her shoulders slumped. She looked at the floor. I kept my voice steady, but my rage filled it with venom. I wanted to _hurt_ her.

"He called you a demon. He told me to ask you what happened on your sixteenth birthday. He dropped some hints about your father and said something about you not being free of his taint."

She shuddered at every word, as if I was lashing her. When I finished she lifted her head and looked at me. Her eyes burned red. If things were different I might have been afraid, but I was too far gone to be intimidated.

"Get out of my room!" she snarled at me through clenched teeth.

"With pleasure!" I told her, noting with satisfaction that the red fire winked out of her eyes. I got up and walked out.

She rushed after me. "Wait! Please… I can tell you."

I turned around. A part of me wanted to embrace her, comfort her, tell her that everything was fine. But the icy monster that I had been building inside me for years could not be dismissed just like that.

"Don't bother. I don't think I care any more."

She jerked back as if I had slapped her. My monster was happy. I liked him when he was happy. I should keep feeding him such treats. I turned again and headed to the Tower roof. Maybe I could catch some more of that ocean breeze.

Once on the roof, I knelt in seiza again and closed my eyes. A few minutes passed before I could feel her presence. I hadn't heard anything, so she must have floated in through a portal.

I patted the place beside me. I felt her float over, heard the rustle of her cloak as she sat down beside me, gathering her legs beneath her.

"I'm sorry. Please understand –"

I raised a hand, cutting her off. "I almost lost you."

"What?"

I turned to her, my face blank.

"For nine years I had kept myself safe from it. Nine years I have avoided getting close to anyone, because I knew it would only lead to suffering. Then I met you, and I forgot all of that. And just as I started hoping I could know love, I almost lost you."

The muscles in my face hurt from the effort it took to keep a neutral expression. I returned my gaze to the ocean.

"I'm sorry, Raven. I'm still trying to figure out how to handle it. All this is too new for me."

"Then all the things you said…"

I sighed. "The things I said are true, or at least were true in the moment I said them. I was really angry at you. I don't give a flying fuck who or what your father is. But it hurt me to know that you didn't trust me."

Her eyes dropped. "You are right" she said. "I didn't trust you. But not in the way you think."

I frowned at her. "Explain."

She looked up again. "It's not that I was afraid that you would go around shouting out my secrets for everyone to hear. I was afraid that you would… not like…"

"That I would reject you?"

She nodded.

"Try me."

She was silent. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"For fuck's sakes, Raven, _feel me!_ Can't you see what's inside me?"

She kept staring at the floor, not saying anything.

I dropped her hand, defeated. "If that's the way it has to be…"

I rocked on my toes to rise from the seiza position. Her hands shot forward and grasped mine.

"My father is a demon" she whispered.

I relaxed back, looking at her. She lifted her eyes to mine. She was afraid.

"I am half demon" she said, her voice returning to normal. "My father is Trigon."

 _Whoa_. That was not quite what I expected.

"I was Trigon's gem. He wanted to use me to enter our realm and conquer the Earth, maybe our entire Universe. I was created to be his portal. But with help from the others, we – I – managed to banish him back to where he came from."

I stared at her, wide eyed. My mind raced. "And this happened on your sixteenth birthday?"

"That's when it all started."

"How the hell does Slade know all this?"

"That's a long story. At that time Slade was dead. Remember the tale I told you about Terra? She killed him, in that same volcano. But Trigon took his soul, and revived him. He used Slade to go after me. He gave him enormous powers. I – all of us – we were helpless against him."

I frowned. "I didn't notice him using any 'awesome power' when I fought him."

"Let me finish. Slade fulfilled his part of the deal with my fa – with Trigon, by delivering me. But Trigon tricked him and took away the powers he gave him. It was a mistake; you do not double-cross Slade without making sure he's dead."

"Yeah, I can agree with that" I said, my mind in turmoil.

"Slade found a way to clothe himself in flesh anew. He was no longer an undead zombie, he was complete, living, breathing, human again. He joined us in the battle against Trigon. And we won."

I shook my head, stunned by everything I heard. "Holy shit" I whispered.

She smiled. "That's one way to put it."

The puzzle was almost complete, the hints she sometimes dropped subconsciously fitting in perfectly; Slade's innuendos making full sense. There were many details still missing, but she could give me the long version later. Right now I had to know something much more important.

"How long did you know this? That you were going to be Trigon's instrument?"

"All my life."

I had to bend down, my breath hissing through my throat, trying not to gasp. She put her hand on my shoulder, concerned.

"You… carried it with you? All this time?"

She felt the shame that was overwhelming me. Her hand squeezed my shoulder. "You couldn't know."

I shook my head. "I'm… I could say I'm sorry, but…"

"I know" she said simply. I looked at her and chuckled, even though my heart still felt heavy. "This is one of those days when I'm glad you're an empath" I told her.

I took her hand from my shoulder, put it in my lap, gripped it hard as I looked over the ocean.

"I don't care if Trigon is your father. I don't care if Beelzebub is your grand-uncle or if Apophis is your cousin twice removed." I looked at her. "I only care about you."

I gazed again over the waves.

I got up, looked down at her, extended my other hand down to her. "Let's just take a day off and go get something to eat" I told her.

She smiled and took my hand, nodding.

* * *

We changed into civvies and went looking for someplace to eat. We finally settled for a Thai place that seemed small and pleasant enough. It was still fairly early and the place was not even half-full. We sat in a booth, trying to get as much privacy as we could.

"I never thought of you as liking spicy stuff" I smirked at her. I didn't really mean to imply anything, it just turned out that way.

"You'd be surprised" she replied with a small smile. I wondered if she could feel that my innuendo was not intentional.

"We can always ask for 'tourist' level"

"I can handle hot" she said, her smile widening a little bit.

We ordered. I looked at her, taking her in. She looked striking, even in jeans and T-shirt. The tennis sweatband that she used to hide her jewel gave her a sporty look. Her lithe body and the restrained power that could be felt underneath her studied, delicate movements helped the image, too.

"See anything you like?"

I realized I was staring and I got caught. "A lot" I said.

"I wouldn't mind hearing a few compliments." Her eyes flashed mischievously.

I frowned. "I'm not really used to either giving or receiving them" I told her, looking into her eyes, hoping she wouldn't misunderstand me. Her gaze was still playful. I relaxed a bit and returned her smile.

"If you want a compliment, here's one for you" I told her and took her hand, looking at her, letting my feelings flow into her. Her cheeks colored slightly and she pulled her hand from mine.

An awkward silence fell between us. _Your sterling social skills just shine today,_ I told myself.

Luckily, the waiter chose that moment to bring us our order, breaking the awkward moment.

I dug my face into the food, trying to avoid looking at her and give myself a chance to calm down. We barely looked at each other until we finished.

I was finishing my lunch, while racking my brains for something to say. I looked up at her, again amazed at how her eyes seemed to glow even when they were calm and composed.

"So how about you? Do you see anything you like?" I blurted suddenly, the words apparently not touching my mind before leaving my mouth. Somehow I managed to blush only a little. With luck she will think it is because of the spicy food.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't" she said, the mischievous glint returning to her eyes.

"Anything in particular?"

"Are we fishing for a compliment?"

"Guess it's my turn" I grinned.

Our communicators buzzed in unison. I rolled my eyes and went for mine, but she already had hers open. Robin's voice came through.

"Rae, Match, there's a heist going on; it's the H.I.V.E. Five. I don't expect it to be anything the four of us can't handle, but I wanted to give you a heads up."

"Thanks, we'll keep it in mind" Raven replied. "We've just finished lunch, so if you need us just give us a buzz!"

"Will do. Enjoy yourselves. Out."

I sighed. "Did he have to be so sarcastic?"

She smiled and shook her head. "How about a walk?"

"I'd love to."

We strolled aimlessly for a while, both struggling with our thoughts. After some ten minutes, I spied an empty bench and sat down. As she sat beside me, I put my arm around her shoulders. She snuggled into me.

"I don't know if this is a good idea, Rae" I told her.

"Why not? Are you still afraid of losing me?"

"No. I think I got over it. But I'll be off once this business is finished, you know that."

She shifted a little, burrowing deeper.

"You talk as if we were already committed."

"Aren't we?"

"You haven't even kissed me."

"Is that a requirement?" I asked, burying my face in her hair, breathing deeply of her scent.

"Usually."

"I'm happy just having you close. Can't we leave it at that?"

She rubbed her forehead on my shoulder. "Not really."

I sighed. "I guess I can't fool an empath."

The communicator buzzed. We both groaned at the same time. I picked mine up, flipped it open.

"Match."

Robin's voice came through. "Need you two right away. Track us. H.I.V.E. Five was a decoy. We've got Slade on our backs."

"Do you have the briefcase?"

"Yes, I took it before we left. Hurry!"

We flew.

* * *

It took us only three minutes to reach the target. I studied the situation as I brought my disk down. Starfire, Cyborg and Beast Boy were locked in combat with a bunch of kids, obviously also metas. I assumed these were the H.I.V.E. Five – but I could count only four of them.

"Rae, even the odds for the others. I'll help Robin with Slade" I told her. She nodded and flitted away as I swooped down to jump off the disk beside Robin, facing Slade. I extended a blade from each hand.

"Hi, honey. Missed me?" I told Slade ironically. He didn't bother to waste his breath answering.

I circled around him to get him between me and Robin and to force him to divide his attention. He did not seem overly concerned. Robin gestured at me to go back a little, but I didn't see any reason to do it. He lunged at Slade, his staff a silvery streak going for Slade's head. Seeing a good opportunity, I stabbed low, expecting Slade to duck and come right into my strike.

Instead of ducking, Slade danced back. Robin's staff whistled close to his face and Robin continued it with a roundhouse kick, but I was surprised at Slade's reaction and I had to follow my stab into a frontal roll or risk overbalancing. I rolled over my left shoulder and sprang up, right into the path of Robin's kick. I ducked quickly and twisted sideways, avoiding Slade's counterstrike, retreating a few steps.

I realized that the simple numerical superiority we had over Slade meant less than nothing. Robin and me never trained together and we couldn't coordinate our attacks properly. Right now we were more dangerous to each other than to Slade. I would have to play this one very carefully.

I looked at Robin. He was scowling, probably angry at me. I shrugged.

I threw a couple of disks at Slade to get his attention, hoping that Robin would pick the cue. He waited for a split second too long, not knowing what to expect from me, and Slade easily avoided his attack.

It was Robin's turn to throw a birdarang at Slade, but he dodged it and closed in with Robin, his staff whirling, knowing that I would not dare attack for fear of hitting my teammate. Their staves clashed, shivering, then sprang apart and clashed again. I circled around them, looking for a chance to sneak in a strike.

Slade blocked Robin's staff and struck with his fist at Robin's abdomen. Robin spun back, avoiding Slade's fist, swinging the staff around him towards Slade's head. I thought I had him. I lunged in, my blade going for Slade's legs, but he jumped up, making me roll under him and at the same time blocking Robin's staff with his own. As Slade fell back to the ground I barely managed to avoid him stomping me. I jumped up and again took a few steps back, trying to reassess the situation.

I circled around them both. I pointed to Slade's back, hoping that Robin was paying attention, and threw a couple of disks behind Slade. Robin understood and his staff came in forcefully towards Slade's midsection. As I expected, Slade took a step back, right into the path of my disks. But as I definitely did not expect, he blocked Robin's staff with his own and used the rebound momentum to flick away the first disk and dodge the second.

"This is ridiculous" I growled, as my anger mounted. I threw another two disks at Slade just for the nuisance effect and waded in with my blades. Slade blocked a blade with the staff and ducked under the other one, delivering a sharp fist to my belly. I managed to twist so that his fist struck me only a glancing blow. Gritting my teeth to ignore the pain I started a windmill strike. Slade jumped back from the first blade and blocked the second one. It was a good position for him to drop down and try to undercut me, but again he surprised me by lunging at me and shoulder-slamming into my side.

The impact threw me down and I rolled away, trying to get some air into my lungs, as his fist smashed into the pavement beside my head. Jumping up from my roll, I scissor-slashed at him with both blades to keep him away and gain some time to recover. He had to jump back and engage Robin, while I gulped precious air.

I let them go at each other for a few seconds as I got my breath back and tried to think of a strategy. We could alternate our attacks and try to exhaust Slade, but I knew it was an iffy proposition at best. We could split the targets of our attacks – Robin going for the head, say, and me going for the legs – but I had to coordinate it with Robin somehow, which meant that Slade would catch on and create his own strategy to counter it.

An idea formed in my head. The plan was bad, since it relied on blind luck, but I just may be able to pull it off.

I watched intently as Slade and Robin exchanged blows and parries. I dismissed my blades and prepared a disk in each hand. I was waiting for the right moment. It came soon enough.

Spinning away from an attack, Robin raised his staff high into an overhead strike. Slade blocked with his staff, holding it horizontally with both hands, lifting his right leg to kick Robin. At that moment, I let a disk loose towards his left leg. Slade's only option was to jump up. I followed with another disk, putting Slade in the situation that he couldn't simply land back down unless he wanted to lose a leg. He turned his jump into a somersault, avoiding my disks, but for a few instants he was in the air and had no leverage to dodge or block. Robin saw it immediately and his staff streaked forward towards Slade's head.

It was a mistake. Slade's head was a small and movable target. He managed to angle it so that Robin's staff only glanced off his blind side. Slade landed and jumped back, throwing two grenades from each hand, trying to keep us away.

I bounced his grenades aside with a disk, angry that Robin didn't see the need to go for Slade's abdomen – there was no way Slade could have avoided that. I sent two more disks at him, trying to keep him off-balance. Robin's strike certainly dazed him, but we had to act quickly if we were to capitalize on the advantage. I closed in, blades flashing. Slade spun around my left blade and blocked the right one, his body passing beside me to close with Robin while I tried to turn around and stab him in the back. He ducked and lifted his staff to block Robin's strike, at the same time butting him in the belly with his head.

Robin went down, gasping as he rolled aside, avoiding Slade's stomping foot. I had to smile; this was the same dish that Slade almost had me eat. Noting that Robin was rolling to my left I sent a couple of disks towards Slade, making sure their trajectory would not intersect with Robin's. Slade avoided both, but my intention was to keep him off Robin while he recovered.

I decided to try my plan again. It would work, as long as we were able to force Slade into a vulnerable position. Leaving Robin to look for one, I took the initiative and attacked Slade.

His staff swatted away the two disks I threw at him as I swung my blade diagonally downwards. He spun away, into the path of my second blade. As I lunged after it, he managed to twist his body and avoid the slash, lifting his leg to counterattack with a kick to my unprotected head. I hoped Robin was paying attention as I forced myself not to duck right away.

He was. As Slade's kick sailed towards my head, Robin's staff arced parallel to the ground, jeopardizing Slade's supporting leg. He had to pull back his kick as he again jumped up, trying to somersault back and retreat. I took a big risk and jumped at him, both blades extended.

He dropped his now useless staff and caught my wrists, stopping my blades from scissoring off his head. We crashed to the ground. I managed to lift my right knee before landing, trying to dig it into his belly, but I only succeeded in smashing it against his armor. Pain shot from my leg as I landed on top of him.

I ignored the pain. He was dazed by the fall and my knee in his belly forced the air out of his lungs, but he was still holding my wrists, not allowing me to cut him up. I created a small spinning disk and sent it towards his head. He couldn't dodge or block. In a few milliseconds he'd be dead.

I dismissed the disk before it clove his mask.

"We're even now" I snarled at him.

He looked at me with a malevolent expression in his eye. He head-butted me in the face, surprising me and throwing me off him.

"Yes, we are. But I'm still coming after you." He quickly created a smokescreen and disappeared.

I got up, gingerly wiping tears from my eyes and blood from my nose. I limped over to Robin. He was looking at me coldly. "Why'd you let him go?"

"I owed him a debt" I said, keeping a lid on my emotions.

"A debt to _him?_ Are you insane?" his voice rose to a shout, his rage exploding.

"I could've left him with his brains on the pavement. Would that be better?"

He opened his mouth to say it, but suddenly he snapped it shut. I could see him getting a grip on himself, forcing himself to calm down.

"Never mind. You did what you had to do" he growled, still furious.

I grabbed his forearm. "You would have done the same thing in my place" I told him, staring at him.

He jerked his arm free, turned around. "Let's find the others" he said over his shoulder.

* * *

The other Titans were just finishing dispatching the last of the H.I.V.E. Five. Robin and me helped them place disablers on the villains while we waited for the prisoner transport to arrive.

"Some day off this turned out to be" I grumbled to everyone and no one in particular. Robin turned his head to look at me.

"It's in the job description" he said with a slight sneer in his voice. He was still pissed off about me leaving Slade alive.

"I don't remember signing any contract" I shot back.

He shook his head, walked over to me and placed an arm across my shoulder, dragging me off away from the others.

"I'm sorry. I was way out of line there. What you did – whatever your reasons to do it – was the right thing to do."

"If it makes you feel better about me, I'm not really sure about my reasons."

He grinned at me, punched me lightly in the shoulder. "We'll still make a superhero out of you!"

I grinned back, showing him my index fingers crossed over each other, saying " _Apage, Satanas!_ "

He chuckled. "Let's go home" he said.

* * *

It was late afternoon as we arrived in the Tower. I went to my room and changed, my civvies dirty and torn in places from my bout with Slade. I separated the torn and unrecoverable stuff to throw away and took the rest to the laundry room. The mundane jobs helped me blank out my mind and allow my subconscious to sort everything out. I hummed softly as I went along performing the mindless tasks, returning to my room after an hour with a basketful of clean, freshly ironed clothing and linen.

It was starting to get dark outside. I fell into bed and took a book that I was unsuccessfully trying to read for several days. I leafed through it but couldn't concentrate on the words. I gave up, tossed the book away and went to the Ops room for some company.

They were all there, enjoying their favorite pastimes. Cyborg and Beast Boy were playing a game, loudly taunting each other. Robin was glued to a computer and Starfire was obviously cooking some Tamaranian delicacy, judging from the acrid stench that wafted over every now and then. It made my eyes water. Raven was sitting in lotus position on the couch, reading a book. I walked silently over and sat beside her with a contented sigh. She lifted her eyes from her book to look at me for a moment, then went back to her reading.

I sat there for a while, eyes closed, just drinking it in and enjoying the sounds around me; even the smell of Starfire's cooking. It was almost a kind of a domestic bliss.

After a while I started getting drowsy. I got up.

"I'm going to turn in early. Nighty night all."

I went to my room, squirmed out of my clothes and got in the shower. I finished and dried myself and then I stepped into the room, naked, still toweling my hair, to see her sitting on my bed.

Startled, I hugged my towel trying to cover myself. She smiled. I scowled, wrapping the towel around me.

"Anybody else would be in deep shit for trying to pull something like that" I growled at her.

She got up and walked over. "As if I hadn't seen you naked before."

"So you needed to make sure you hadn't missed anything?" I asked, still a bit pissed off.

She cupped my face with her hands. "Give it up already" she said and pulled my head down.

The touch of her lips on mine was electrifying. I stood stiff for a moment, then I finally gave up and let the dam burst open.

I have no idea how long it lasted. I only know that I heard a bang, followed by tinkling glass falling on us. The light fixture above us had burst into fragments and we were covered in tiny, sparkling glass slivers.

I pulled back. "I suppose these are the 'unintended consequences'" I sighed.

"Who cares?" she said, looking into my eyes, her hands going to the clasp of her cloak.

I placed my hand on hers. "Wait."

I took my bathrobe and put it on, then went to the bed, bundled all the blankets and linen in a heap and took it all under my arm.

"Take us to the roof" I said.

Her eyes sparkled. She understood. She quickly created a portal and we stepped onto the roof.

I created a large disk and helped her on. I gave the disk a general direction towards the coast, high up, and sat beside her.

"Where were we?" I asked her, putting my arms around her and lowering my lips to hers.

The late evening breeze high up was cool and pleasant as it blew over my burning skin. I looked up to check our position, made some course changes and got back to business.

As her kisses got more insistent and her hands started to explore more freely, I took a gentle hold of her wrists.

"Patience. You don't want me to lose control of the disk."

She actually giggled. I was amazed to hear such a sound coming from her. I hugged her tight.

I took another look around and decided we were far enough from civilization. I let the disk glide down and we landed in a small pine copse. The scent of pine trees in the evening air was intoxicating.

I dismissed the disk, spread the blankets over the pine needles and offered her my hand. She took it and we both lowered ourselves down.

I helped her get out of her clothes and feasted my eyes on her. I flashed her a wicked smile. She was in my domain now. I quickly went over to the offensive and established control.

I took her to her first climax gently but quickly, because you don't go to a feast starving. Pine needles started raining on us. I created a large disk above us, just as a branch exploded and its remains plummeted down.

I let her recover her breath before starting to work seriously on her. I was getting incredibly aroused watching the effect that my caresses had on her, but I didn't want to do anything about it. I wanted this night to be hers and hers alone.

I teased and goaded her, ever up, until I could feel she was almost ready, then I let her slide down without cresting the hill. I repeated it several times, until I felt that the tension on the surface was starting to sink deep into her, the desire for release soaking every fiber of her body as it cried out for mercy without a voice, through her heartbeat, her breathing, her scent.

I let her slide down one final time and then slowly, ever so slowly brought her back. I let her feel that this time I would allow her to go all the way. As I brought her higher and higher the pines around us started creaking. Small bits of bark burst from the trees and fell around us, while a rain of pine needles covered the disk I had over us as protection.

Trees started exploding around us as she screamed her release. Large branches fell on the disk and slid away. A sudden cold wind blew over us as a large, dark storm cloud appeared above us. A bolt of lightning from it struck a tree, sending burned bark and needles around. Thunder pealed as I kept her climaxing, the cloud starting to whirl in a tornado, its spout descending to touch my disk.

I finally let her ride it over, her breath ragged, her eyes closed tight. As her breathing slowed down I placed a gentle kiss on her lips and took her in my arms. Completely spent, she was asleep instantly.

I took a careful look around, creating a small disk and using it to stamp out the few smoldering spots where burning bark and pine needles had fallen. I ignored my own ache for release as I hugged her close and covered us with a blanket, happy as I never was in my life.

I soon dozed off, only to awaken a while later, feeling her hands on me. I opened my eyes to see her glowing, violet orbs drinking me in.

"Don't" I whispered. She just shook her head and continued, her hands fluttering all over me, probing, kissing and nibbling everywhere.

"Not… fair…" I gasped. I realized that as an empath she could immediately know where all my weak spots were, and she attacked them with zeal. I soon shook all over, my eyes rolling back in my head with the intensity of my orgasm.

She held me as my heart slowed down and my breathing returned to normal. She smiled at me.

"I still owe you one."

"That's not the way it works" I replied as I kissed her. She tried to tell me something, but I just kissed her harder, not letting her speak.

This time I allowed her to explore me, showing her how to do it properly. Her empathy gave her an enormous advantage, but she needed to perfect her technique. I was more than happy to both teach her and let her practice on me.

We came together, in a prolonged climax that had us both shuddering as we shouted each other's names. Finally sated and utterly spent, we both slept.

* * *

It was still dark when I woke, feeling her warmth, sensing her scent. A feeling of joy so strong it was painful stabbed me in the chest. She shifted, feeling it and burrowing closer to me without waking. I stroked her gently to calm both of us and stared at the sky.

"We should go back" she whispered.

"I thought you were sleeping."

"I was."

"Sorry to wake you."

I felt her hand touch my breast.

"Insatiable, are you?" I asked, kissing the top of her head.

"No. I just wanted to feel your heart."

I felt tears burning in my eyes. "Don't do that, Rae."

Suddenly I felt it was too much for me. I removed her hands gently.

"You're right. Let's go before we're missed."

I put on the bathrobe. The night was cool and after the warmth of the blankets and her body it made me shiver slightly. I looked up and saw my protective disk still there, covered with broken branches and pine needles. I didn't realize I could keep one of those up even when sleeping, or when lost in sexual abandon. My eyes narrowed, my lips curled into a smile. I touched Raven's shoulder, looking up at my disk, calling her attention to it.

She looked at it, then at me, not understanding.

"I created it before we made love" I explained. "It's still there."

Her eyes widened in understanding, then sparkled with mischief. "I guess you have some ideas already" she said.

"You bet your delicious ass, momma" I told her, grinning. "But that's for later. Let's go."

I angled the disk carefully, shaking off all the debris before dismissing it. I created a levitation disk and helped Rae on it.

We floated slowly towards the Tower. We were both reluctant to end the night. We sat, embraced, enjoying each other's warmth.

I stroked a strand of hair from her forehead and looked into her eyes.

"Now what?"

She looked down. "I'm not sure. Do you think we should tell the others?"

"You're a lot closer to them than me, and you know them a lot better. Do you think they will accept it?"

"I know they will. They all keep open minds as far as that is concerned, and they'll be happy for me."

"So let's tell them" I said.

"In a few days. They may accept it, but I'll be the butt of countless jokes and innuendos, especially from Beast Boy" she said, smiling.

I laughed. "Yeah, I can see that."

"Let me enjoy it in secret until Sunday, and then we'll announce it. Is that OK with you?"

"Anything that makes you happy is OK with me" I told her as she snuggled closer.

We sat silent for a minute as the disk drifted slowly towards the Tower.

"Rae?"

"Mmmhmmm?"

"Planning anything for tomorrow night?"

"As a matter of fact I do" she said and looked at me. I had to grin.

"You have a date?"

"Yes."

"Movies, dinner, that sort of thing?"

"No. Making love a thousand feet above the ocean on a levitating disk."

"Sounds fun" I whispered.

"I thought you would see it that way" she said.

* * *

 **Author's note:** I finally caved in. When I started writing the story I actually intended _not_ to have any romantic relationship between Raven and Match. But as the story developed it simply pulled me that way. In any case, I hope that you will like the idea - and the writing.

As for the citrus scene, I tried to keep it as erotic as possible while still avoiding smutty lemony stuff. Hopefully I've succeeded, so please let me know your opinion.

Finally, I apologize that this chapter took a lot longer than usual to publish. I had a block for several days, probably because of the mixed feelings I had before committing myself to this chapter the way it is now.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note:** OK, I'm back at doing what I do best. No, not gaining 300.000 pounds (though I look like I did). I mean a nice, long action sequence. So if combat rocks your boat, skip the first touchy-feely part to get right on to the bashin' and kickin'. I hope you'll have as much fun reading it as I did writing it :-)

* * *

I woke up early, as usual. I was still drowsy, unsurprising considering the very few hours of rest I managed to snatch, but I knew I couldn't go back to sleep. I forced myself to get up.

A quick shower helped me get rid of the drowsiness. I was just finishing getting dressed when I heard a soft knock on the door.

I went to the door and opened it. I lifted an eyebrow; I didn't expect her to wake up so early. She floated into the room.

"Up early also, I see" I told her.

She sat on my bed. "I'm used to waking up at this hour and I couldn't go back to sleep."

"Another thing we have in common" I grinned. I walked over and sat beside her. I embraced her, kissing her lightly. She squirmed a little bit, still uncomfortable with being hugged. I realized she was tolerating it for my sake. With quite a bit of regret, I let her go.

"So what brings you to my lair?" I asked, getting up from the bed to give her space.

"I've been thinking. About us. About last night."

"What's there to think about?"

"I've never… I don't know what I'm feeling" she said, lowering her eyes.

I sighed and walked over to her. I knelt before her, my eyes level with hers, and took her hands in mine.

"Rae, I'm in the same boat. Believe me, I'm confused as hell. I have no idea if it's just a schoolgirl crush or something deeper, but I know I never felt like this for anyone. Ever." It was my turn to look down. "I've never been in love before" I whispered.

"Are you now?"

I looked up into those luminous, violet eyes. "It sure feels that way" I said softly.

She returned my gaze. "I was… quite aggressive yesterday" she said, a small blush creeping to her cheeks. She looked so beautiful – and so vulnerable.

"Good that you were. I was scared shitless. Emotionally paralyzed."

She smiled. "I've noticed."

I cocked my head, still looking at her. "And you also noticed that I wasn't able to take the first step. So you took it upon yourself to do it."

She nodded, the slight pink on her cheeks darkening. "I felt that if I didn't do anything… it would be gone. It frightened me. More than any loss of control."

Her face got more serious. "But it's still strange to me. All my life I've struggled to control my feelings. My attitude, my meditation, they are all tools to help me keep my emotions in check. And yet yesterday I allowed them to rule me."

"Don't you think I know that?" I asked, more sharply than I wanted. "We both try to control our feelings. For different reasons and in different ways, but in essence it's the same thing."

She frowned. "You're not a danger to everyone if you let your emotions run wild!"

"The eight guys I killed the other day would beg to disagree" I told her coldly.

Her blush disappeared as she turned even paler than usual. I felt a sharp stab of anguish. "Sorry. Forget I said that. I'm sorry" I said quickly, terrified of hurting her.

"No, you're right. I… was selfish."

"Bullshit. You are the most generous person I have ever met. Confusion is not selfishness"

She blushed again. I liked making her blush. She looked sharply at me, sensing it. I grinned at her.

"You're insufferable!" she said, a mock frown on her face.

"Yep, someone told me that already" I said with a straight face. She smiled.

I touched her face lightly. "There is such a thing as overthinking it, you know. You're making problems where there are none. Just live it and enjoy it."

She reached out and put her arms around my neck, pulled my head to hers, kissed me and then buried her face in my shoulder with a sigh.

I held her, breathing deeply of the scent of her hair. As poignant as the moment was, my stomach chose that exact time to rumble. Her shoulders shook; my face felt hot.

"Gimme a break, it's been like sixteen hours since I ate anything."

"You also burned quite a few calories" she said, looking at me, her eyes sparkling.

I could feel my blush deepen. "How about breakfast? I think it's waffle day today" I said, trying to change topics.

"Mmmmm. Waffles!"

I picked up my cape and clasped it around my neck. "Shall we?"

"One more thing" she said, staring at the floor, still looking uncomfortable.

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"How did you know… my reaction… last night?"

She was blushing furiously now. I snorted.

"Rae, I may be a baby in arms when it comes to romantic feelings, but I'm a walking encyclopedia of sex. I saw the results of your temper tantrum; extrapolating from there was no big deal."

She looked at me, incredulously. "You _planned_ it?"

"Of course not, silly! But when I saw you had every intention of going all the way I realized you could get us all in some deep shit if I didn't do something about it."

"The thing is I never expected…"

I looked at her searchingly, my eyes narrowed. I should have realized it earlier, but I was too smitten with her. I took her face in my hands.

"First time, huh?"

She looked down, her face beet red. I giggled. She looked back up, an angry spark in her eyes.

I couldn't stand it any more. I burst out laughing, hugging her. "Oh, Rae, you are one of a kind!"

"I don't see what's funny" she said, her voice angry, but she made no attempt to get out of my embrace. I hugged her even more fiercely.

I looked down at her. I couldn't resist. "Technically, you still are, you know."

She slapped me on the shoulder. "Give it a rest, will you?"

"Never!"

She rolled her eyes. "Can we go and get some breakfast?"

I kissed her. "After you!"

* * *

As we walked towards the Ops room, I glanced at her surreptitiously. Her face was again composed and serene. She sensed me looking at her, gave me a small smile and pulled up her hood.

The smell of breakfast floated around us as we walked in. My mouth watered, my belly grumbled again. A part of my mind concluded that at least it took my mind off Raven for a moment. I did not trust myself too much not to show my feelings.

We sat down and started making large inroads in the mountain of waffles Cyborg dropped in front of us. Raven ate little; I was barely half-way through by the time she finished and pushed her plate away, floating off to hover in lotus position in a corner, starting her meditation. I followed her with my eyes for a few seconds, then went back to my breakfast.

"Had a nice beauty sleep?" Cyborg's voice came through. I glanced at him. He was grinning.

 _No way. It's something else._ I lifted my hand, palm down, and gave it a wiggle to say "so-so", my mouth too full to speak.

His grin got even bigger. _Oh shit. He does know. How?_

I frowned at him, swallowed and said "What?"

"Nuthin'" he said, smugly.

"Cyborg…"

"Just thinkin' you're eatin' as if you've been workin' out all night long" he said, his grin even wider and smugger, if that was possible.

"I haven't eaten anything since yesterday noon" I grumbled. "And I fought Slade after that. It is a bit hard on the calories."

"Yah" he replied, a thousand insinuations in one short word.

My frown turned into a scowl. "If you have something to say, go ahead. You're interfering between me and the waffles."

His grin melted back into a gentle smile, his eye studying me with a strange expression.

"Both of you are pretty good at keeping a poker face, but Ole Uncle Cy can see right through it" he said, tapping his implant gently.

"I have no idea what you're talking about" I said, my throat constricting.

He snorted. "I was there with you, remember? I saw you sit beside her for hours. I saw the look on your face. Last night I saw Rae leave the room right after you, and both of you walk in together this morning."

"I was concerned for her. And the rest is coincidence."

He put his hand on mine, the metal paw covering it completely. "The Maintenance Panel says a light fixture blew in your room, right after Rae left the Ops room."

"I was training. Overenthusiastically."

"Yeaaah. Riiiight."

I sighed. He had me cornered. I looked at him, still scowling.

"If you ruin her surprise, I'll personally whittle you down into shavings and flush them down the toilet!" I growled.

"Atta girl!" he said, patting my hand.

"Cy?"

"Shoot."

"Am I that obvious?"

"Don't sweat it. The others didn't see what I saw in the infirmary." His expression became serious. "She's my little sis. I've been watching you two like a hawk the last few days." He grinned again and went to make more waffles.

I shook my head and returned to my breakfast.

* * *

I was polishing off the last of the breakfast when Robin showed up. It was quite late for him. His expression was blank. That could only mean trouble. He was keeping something back.

I tried to start a conversation with him but he shot me down with a couple of monosyllabic replies. I looked carefully at him and shrugged. He'd tell us if he felt like it.

I looked around the room. Cyborg and Beast Boy were in a hushed discussion, which meant that they were planning to prank someone. I strode over and looked at them threateningly, fists on my hips.

"You better not be planning any mischief on me" I growled at them. Beast Boy looked up at me, his face the image of innocence. "Whatcha sayin', momma? We were just discussing –"

"Don't give me that crap. I know you're planning something" I told him, my eyes narrowed. "I want in."

Cyborg lifted an eyebrow. Beast Boy yelped, jumped up and grabbed my arm, pulling me down to whisper in a conspiratory way.

"OK, this is the idea. You know how Raven –"

"Hold it right there, mister. No pranks on Raven. Or Starfire."

"But the only one left then is…" he looked at Robin doubtfully. I grinned at him. His eyes lit up. "Hell, yeah!"

"You have any ideas, girl?" Cyborg said, barely able to keep his mirth out of his voice.

"Nope. But I'm sure you guys have a wide selection."

"You kiddin' me, momma? You're looking at the popes of pranks, the counts of capers, the titans of tricks! We make'em, we shake'em, we bake'em! We're ready and we're willin'!"

I looked at Cyborg. "Is he always this poetic?"

Cyborg chuckled and opened his mouth to answer when Robin's voice interrupted us.

"All right, Titans, listen up!"

I patted Beast Boy's shoulder and went to sit on the couch to listen to what Robin had to say. The rest also stopped what they were doing and turned to him.

"First, I want to update you on the status of our research in the contents of the briefcase. There are some bad news there. Cyborg?"

"The disks and tapes we recovered from Nogoryan's estate are encrypted" Cyborg said, starting with his report. "We are dealing with it in two parallel ways. The first is to try and hack the cipher. Cracking the encryption itself is not feasible, but Darren thinks he can identify which software was used and look for back doors or vulnerabilities. The second is to check the laptops and the disks we brought from the few desktops we found. It is possible that someone left the passphrase inside a text file."

"That would be a gross breach of security, not to say stupid beyond belief" Robin said.

"True. But betting on human laziness and stupidity usually pays off" Cyborg said with a grin.

Robin grunted. "What's the status on the detector?"

"A month at least, if we drop everything else" Cyborg said defensively. "We can solve the shielding problem, but we need some very specialized stuff that will take at least two weeks to deliver, like ultra-pure germanium. Also, getting this stuff will put a huge flashing neon sign on top of the tower which says 'neutrino detector being built here'."

Robin frowned. "No chance of getting any information in less than twenty-four hours?"

Cyborg snorted. "Are you kidding? Even if we find the encryption passphrase right now, we'd have to wade through all the files on the servers and try to make sense of them. It's a lot of work. I don't think we can do it in less than three or four days."

"In that case, we can drop the whole issue" Robin said grimly.

We all stared at him, surprised and apprehensive.

He cleared his throat. "I was contacted this morning by the Justice League."

I groaned. He looked at me. "Right. They finally heard about it and they want the briefcase."

They all looked at me. I felt uncomfortable.

"The other day I said I'm leaving the briefcase to you. I told you that I felt it was in good hands. I don't see why I should change my mind now. Do what you think you have to."

He sighed. "I kinda hoped you would put up a fight" he said wryly. "I'm not really sure what to do."

It was obvious he was unhappy about the whole business. I tried to make it easier for him.

"Looking at the issue from a purely rational point of view, you should give it to them. First, their facilities are better. Second, whatever is inside would be better off in their hands. No matter if it's something destructive or not, they can guard it more closely, or make better use of it."

"I know. I just hate to have to bend over and smile."

I wasn't used to hearing that kind of language from him. I started to understand how hard this was for him.

Robin shook his head and looked at the others. "What do you guys think?"

"I do not think that we should release the case of the brief into the grasp of the League" Starfire said, her face unusually serious. "But I trust the judgment that you have, Robin."

"Hell, no!" Cyborg slammed his fist into his palm. "We've worked for it, we _bled_ for it, Rae almost got killed over it, and now we have to just give it away?"

"Chrome Dome's right, dude! They may be the Justice League, but we're the Big T! I say we tell 'em to go stuff themselves!"

Raven floated closer. "Simmer down, all of you. Match is right from a rational standpoint, but it is not the only thing that is in question here."

I had already realized that there was an important undercurrent here that had nothing to do with the briefcase and a lot to do with the relationship the Titans had with the Justice League. But it was not my place to comment on it. They will have to find their own answer.

"I like it even less than you, guys, but I don't really see any other option" Robin said.

Everyone started talking at once, the volume rising until it threatened to become an all-out yelling match. Robin's shout cut through the babble.

"Enough!"

He looked us over. "I made the decision. We're going to Gotham tomorrow, with the briefcase. I'll take full responsibility."

He turned to me. "Are you coming with us?"

I looked at him, surprised. "Why would you want me to?"

"It's yours. You started it, it's only fair to give you a chance to see it to the end."

"It's not really mine, you know. And I did give it to you."

He just cocked his head, still looking at me.

I surrendered. "All right, I'll go. Don't see what help I'll be, though."

"Aren't you forgetting something, dude?" Cyborg asked. "The T-Ship only has five seats."

"Starfire can fly alongside us. She can easily keep up with the T-Ship. Her position is life support, and we can leave that on automatic."

Cyborg shrugged. "You're the boss."

Robin left the room, leaving us to ponder it. I rose from the couch and walked over to Cyborg.

"Cy, if you don't want me to go I'll tell Robin I changed my mind" I told him quietly.

He looked at me, surprised, then understood what I was talking about.

"Sorry, girl, I didn't mean it that way. It's just that this whole business is getting to me."

"Glad to hear it. Because I need a crash course in… whatever it is that I'm replacing Star in."

He grinned at me. "You're right. How about now?"

I nodded, smiling. He got up and motioned for me to follow.

* * *

After Cyborg showed me the basics of Starfire's post in the T-Ship I went back to the Ops room, looking for Raven, but she wasn't there. I went to her room, not finding her there either. I smiled as I figured out where she would be.

I reached the roof and I saw her floating, meditating. I approached quietly and knelt in seiza beside her. I closed my eyes and waited patiently.

After a long while I heard the rustle of her cloak as she descended and sat beside me. I felt her hand on mine and opened my eyes, seeking her gaze and smiling at her. She returned the smile and looked over the ocean.

I found her closeness joyful, but also calming. I closed my eyes and opened myself to the feeling, letting it fill my entire being. It was wonderful.

I felt her lips gently brush mine. "I'm enjoying it, too" she said quietly. I just smiled, without opening my eyes.

We sat there for a long time, unmoving, until the sun started sinking into the ocean.

My legs were getting cramped. I rose from seiza and offered her my hand.

"We have a date" I told her, a playful smile on my face.

"We do."

My disk floated over the ocean, carrying us as we gently touched each other. It was long and languid, slow and dreamy. Very little of her energy boiled out. It was more a meeting of souls than of bodies, our climax turned inward, not a release but a deepening. My feelings opened like a flower, allowing us both to look at them clearly.

I finally loved someone.

* * *

Next morning we all met in the T-Ship hangar. We took our places and went through flight pre-check. I had very little to do; just confirm that the life support was on automatic and that everything was green. Satisfied, Cyborg took off.

The T-Ship roared skywards, Starfire flying alongside in a red and orange flash. As he took us to cruising altitude, Cyborg set the course towards Gotham and punched it.

We were soon over the desert. I watched, fascinated, at the sight emerging in the early morning light. The desert flowed in all earthy colors, from dark brown to yellow, orange, red and even purple.

I was so lost admiring the scenery below that I almost missed Robin's warning.

"Multiple bogeys, one o'clock, five clicks ahead, altitude ten thousand" he said, his voice level. "Running a scan."

I looked ahead, trying to see the incoming craft, but at more than three miles away it was unsurprising I could not see anything.

"Confirmed bandits. Repeat, confirmed bandits. These are Brotherhood bots. Starfire, break off and scout ahead. Do not engage yet."

"Defensive grid on line" Raven's voice came through. I saw a turret poking out of the fuselage close to my cockpit, turning to face the incoming danger. "ECM on."

"There are hundreds of the robots" Starfire's voice came in. "I am returning with the haste!"

"Cyborg, get us higher! Break off and head back to the tower! We can't fight so many!"

The T-Ship swung around, the roar of its engines rising in pitch as Cyborg tried to run. Suddenly Robin shouted, his voice clearly excited.

"More bandits in front of us, rising from the desert! They've been waiting for us!"

I glanced down and saw scores of black dots swarming through the air, heading towards us. They were still too far away for me to see any details, but they were getting close uncomfortably fast.

"Cyborg, break for the ocean! We may have to dive in to lose them!"

I immediately understood the danger. "Robin, if these are Brotherhood bots it means that Immortus is guiding them. He's already predicted our movements. There are probably hundreds more just below the surface, waiting for us."

He was silent for a moment. "I agree. And now I'm also picking up a lot of ground activity. Armored vehicles. Dozens, maybe hundreds."

"The Brotherhood is throwing everything it has at us" Cyborg commented. "This is it!"

"Continue on course for the Tower. If we can get in range of the Tower defenses we can use them as additional cover."

"Roger that!"

We flew for half a minute more, the dots approaching fast. I saw bright flashes and smoke trails heading our way, just as Robin shouted "Multiple vampires incoming! Rae, defense grid safety off! Let 'er rip!"

"Letting 'er rip" Raven's monotone chanted. I had to smile.

Bright lances of laser beams emerged from the turrets and connected with the smoke trails, leaving explosions wherever they touched. More missiles sped towards us, the defensive fire taking them down one by one.

"Defense grid saturation at sixty five… Sixty eight percent" Raven reported, unfazed. "Operating temperature nominal."

Laser lances continued blowing up scores of incoming missiles, but each was destroyed a little bit closer to the T-Ship. I started to worry.

"Defense grid saturation at seventy eight percent. Operating temperature green, but rising."

Every time a laser fired, a lot of heat was generated. The turrets had powerful cooling systems but sustained fire would cause them to inevitably overheat and shut down.

The smoke puffs of the explosions were now uncomfortably near, and the number of missiles fired from the bots and from the ground showed no signs of slackening.

"Defensive grid saturation at ninety one percent. Operating temperature above optimal." Rae's voice was still calm and composed, helping me maintain my own mind cool and calculating. I searched for options.

So far none of the missiles managed to get through the laser storm that the turrets were keeping up, but if the intensity of the attack was maintained, it would soon overwhelm the defenses.

"Defensive grid saturated. We will be dealing with stragglers soon."

As she said it, I saw a missile twist and turn in the air, approaching us quickly. I created a shield in front of it, destroying it. At the same time, pain shot through my head and I cried out, dismissing the shield.

"Match, are you OK?" Raven's voice came through.

"I'm fine. I forgot that I would be dragging the shield at Mach 0.9. It was not as bad as plowing concrete at a hundred miles an hour, but it was pretty close" I said.

"Be careful" she said, her hands full managing the defenses.

Starfire flew along, using her starbeams to shoot down several missiles. I watched carefully, creating small disks for less than a second in front of any straggler, trying to blow it up without turning my brain into mush. Choosing the exact spot where to place the disk was difficult work. I had to concentrate fully on it.

"Defensive grid saturated at one hundred and twenty percent. Operating temperature red."

The turrets were overheating and the missile avalanche was not subsiding.

"Deploy countermeasures!" Robin shouted.

"Roger" Raven said, keeping her calm. Flares and chaff dropped from canisters under the fuselage. Many missiles were fooled by them, but many more still streaked at us.

"Cyborg! Take us lower!"

The T-Ship nosed down, streaking towards the desert, a cloud of missiles in its wake.

I destroyed three more missiles, then keyed in the intercom.

"Robin, if we can go slower I can cover us with a shield, but I can't do it at more than two hundred knots!"

"Got that. Will let you know if it's necessary."

I shrugged, annoyed. It _was_ necessary. The turrets would shut down any moment. I went back to my job.

Soon what I was afraid of happened. I created a disk behind a missile instead of in front of it. It dodged and weaved through a barrage of starbolts as it approached the T-Ship quickly, exploding when it got near enough for the proximity fuze to activate.

Shrapnel struck the T-Ship and it shuddered. An alarm started blaring. Several items in my displays started flashing yellow and red, but I had no idea what they were.

"Port engine at seventy percent" Cyborg growled. "Port sensor mast destroyed. Damage to life support. Comms degraded."

I was quickly tiring from the intense concentration required to block the missiles. Soon I made another mistake, and another, but luckily Starfire covered for me.

"Robin, I can't keep this up!" I shouted.

"Defense grid operating temperature too high. Turrets One, Two and Four in shutdown." We just lost three of the four defensive turrets.

"Cyborg, slow down to two hundred knots. Go NoE."

NoE meant Nap of the Earth. The T-Ship dipped sickeningly until we flew at less than thirty feet above the desert. Several missiles impacted into the ground. As soon as we slowed down I extended a large disk behind us, missiles plowing into it and disappearing in flashes of light and smoke.

I could see several formations of armored vehicles on the ground, all turning towards us. Tracers from the ground started seeking the T-Ship. Cyborg jinked and jiggled, but every now and then I could hear a sound like heavy rain falling on a tin roof.

Another stream of tracers played over the port engine. It spluttered and died.

"Port engine down. We're losing lift!"

"We'll have to set down. Cyborg, look for a good spot!"

"There are no good spots!" Cyborg shouted. "Brotherhood units are everywhere!"

"Star, find a level place and clear all enemies that you can from it. Be careful!"

"I will do as you ask!"

She streaked off, Cyborg trying to follow. Our speed was down to a hundred and fifty knots, almost at stalling. At least it made my head hurt less from dragging the shield behind us.

"Rae, prepare emergency cooldown of the defense grid!"

"Emergency cooldown set… and… ready!"

"What's that?" I asked.

"Liquid nitrogen. It will quickly take the turret temperature down and enable a restart of the system, but it can be used only once."

"I have located a spot that has the convenient appearance" Starfire chimed in. "I am clearing it of the Brotherhood forces"

"Coming down!" Cyborg shouted.

Suddenly another stream of 20 mm rounds rattled against the hull. The starboard engine coughed and started to sputter.

"We're losing lift! Hang on!"

I shouted in the mike. "I'll keep us airborne. Rae, get that grid back on line!"

"Roger"

"Match, if you're going to do anything, do it now!"

"Keep your panties on. Where is that grid?"

"Coming on line… NOW!"

I dismissed the shield and created a large levitating disk below the T-Ship. The twenty or so tons of it settled on the disk, making me whimper. I held on grimly. The turrets reactivated, clearing the clouds of missiles that bored in on us.

"Can't… keep… up… long!"

"Two more seconds!"

It seemed like two centuries to me. "Put us down!" came from Cyborg. I lowered the disk slowly until I could feel it scrape the sandy surface of the desert. I dismissed it and the T-Ship plowed into the sand.

I was dizzy, both from the effort of keeping the disk carrying the ship and from the sudden deceleration. My cockpit cover flew off and I felt a strong hand pulling me out of the seat, dragging me away from the T-Ship.

I flashed Cyborg a thankful smile and ran after him, away from the T-Ship. The turrets were still shooting down missiles, but the unmoving craft was a sitting duck. Soon it was covered in explosions.

"Are we all OK?"

"Define OK" I grumbled, rubbing my forehead. I looked around, seeing that we were all apparently unharmed.

"Great job, everyone!"

"We're not out of the woods yet, Robin" I said. "We're surrounded by Brotherhood forces!"

"I know. Head South, the largest concentrations were in the North and East."

I created three levitation disks, and jumped on one, slaving the other two to mine. "Robin, Cyborg, hop on!"

They did as I asked and we started moving South, with Raven and Starfire flitting above as scouts and defense, Beast Boy flying above in hawk form, looking ahead. Soon we ran into a Brotherhood armored column. Starfire saw them first and exclaimed "The vehicles of armor are approaching!"

I willed the three disks to the edge of the dune that was in front of us and dismissed them, the three of us jumping into the fine sand. Beast Boy landed with a flapping of wings, taking his normal form. There were at least five huge tanks and about a dozen IFVs coming at us, together with a swarm of armored Hummers with chain guns on their roofs.

Cyborg and Starfire let loose on the tanks but caused little impression on the foot-thick composite steel armor. I waved a hand to get their attention.

"Leave the big guys to me!" I told them. "Go for the small, fast ones! Rae, take care of the armored carriers!"

I sent a couple of disks spinning into the nearest steel behemoth. They sliced through it, cutting off a large chunk of frontal armor, together with parts of wheels and treads. The tank shuddered and slid to a halt. It weighed at least a hundred tons; it could not be stopped easily.

Its turret turned to us and the main gun spoke, sending a high explosive round our way. The round impacted below us into the dune and a geyser of sand, dust and smoke erupted, obscuring my view. I sent two more disks through the haze into the place where it was. It never fired again.

I created a large shield, waiting for the dust and smoke to clear. I could hear the clank and squeal of treads as the remaining armored monsters approached. Several rounds struck my shield. It was painful, but I could handle it. Cyborg got up, searching for targets. I shouted for him to get his ass down. The closest tank fired and a projectile hit my shield.

This was no wimpy HE round. This was a 120 mm APFSDS – Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot round. Basically a yard-long arrow of depleted uranium streaking at over a mile a second. As it struck my shield my head jerked back and I cried in pain. The shield dissolved, just as another tank fired.

The armor-piercing round hit Cyborg in the hip, blowing him away and spinning him until he fell a full thirty feet behind us, his severed leg rolling beside him and a good chunk of his lower torso obliterated. Fury exploded in my head as I sent a huge, horizontal disk at each remaining tank, chopping off the turrets and cutting any crew inside to pieces. I rose and ran to Cyborg.

I stood above him, not knowing what to do. Despair clutched at me, paralyzing me. Anguish flooded into my soul. _I should have kept that shield up. It's my fault._

Raven swooped down and landed beside him, taking his head in her hands. I fell to my knees, tears streaming from my eyes. I rocked on my knees, moaning.

"My fault. Should have kept it up. It's my fault! Oh my God! Cyborg, I'm sorry! It's my fault!"

I felt someone shaking me. Raven was staring at me, her eyes angry.

"Snap out of it! It was not your fault!"

"I should have kept the shield up!"

I felt a slap on my face. Her hand arced back, slapping me again on the backhand. "Get a grip on yourself!" she shouted at me.

The stinging in my face helped. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I nodded. "I'm fine. Sorry to break down like that."

She looked at me, making sure that I had recovered my wits. "Come on. Let's clear the rest!"

I hesitated. "How's Cyborg?"

"He's unconscious, but his organics are all right. He'll need some major rebuilding back at the tower."

I created a levitating disk and climbed onto it, locating the few stragglers and cutting them into pieces with savage satisfaction. I landed beside Cyborg, created another disk and Raven used her power to place his bulk on it. We moved Southward, the others in tow.

We managed to cross only a couple of miles before two of the armored columns started to catch up with us. Detachments of armored Hummers sped around us to attack from the front, slowing us down, while the heavy hitters closed in quickly from behind.

I deposited Cyborg gently on the sand and floated up to check the situation. It was pretty grim.

"Match, take the heavies" Robin said. "Raven and Starfire, the IFVs. I will take on the Hummers with Beast Boy."

"I'm on it" I told him and floated away.

I soon developed a strategy. I flew in front of the column, keeping a shield facing them, throwing disks at the closest tanks, then turning around to do it again. It kept me safe and whittled down their numbers steadily.

But these guys were led by a military genius. The IFVs slowed down and disgorged a platoon of infantry each, whose first job was to set up mortars and start lobbing shells at me over my shield.

Raven and Starfire saw it and made a point of obliterating every mortar that they could reach, while still fighting the IFVs. It helped, but the rain of mortar rounds was still coming strong. I pulled back a bit, making sure to break my movement pattern and not allow the gunners to predict where I'll be.

I glanced at Robin and Beast Boy to make sure that they were OK. A Hummer was charging towards Robin, but he used his staff to somersault over it, attaching something that looked like a magnetic mine to its roof. The mine exploded and the Hummer plowed, uncontrolled, into a sand dune.

Beast Boy was in the form of a hummingbird, making it difficult to see him, before he turned into a brontosaurus and dropped down on two Hummers, squashing the half-inch thick steel armor. He quickly turned into a rhino and charged another Hummer, his horn punching through the steel, turning the vehicle over.

It was a mistake. His horn was caught and before he managed to morph into another animal and free himself a stream of tracers sailed towards him, several rounds hitting his hind leg. The green rhino bellowed.

Robin threw a grenade at the Hummer that shot Beast Boy, right under its front axle. As it exploded it flipped the heavy vehicle upside down.

"Rae! Beast Boy!" I shouted to get her attention.

I couldn't check if she heard me because I saw two more Hummers barreling towards Robin, who was also running to see if Beast Boy was OK. I threw a disk at each vehicle. The farthest one took the disk right in the engine, making it burst in fire, the occupants hastily leaving it. The other disk sliced through the chain gun on the roof of the second vehicle, but it kept going at Robin. He saw it just as me and Raven shouted for him to look out. He jumped to avoid it and rolled on the ground, a barrage of starbolts destroying the Hummer.

He picked himself up, flashed us a thumbs-up. Relieved, I turned back to the heavies that were clanking ever closer. I took out two of them, gritting my teeth to control the pain every time a 120 mm armor-piercing round struck my shield. I concentrated on the tanks, chopping them up one by one, not noticing that the mortar barrage had found a different target.

" _Robin!_ " I heard Starfire shout. I turned around and sped over to where they were. A mortar shell had burst near Robin, concussing him, and a grenade fragment left a bloody trail along the left side of his head. Raven knelt beside him.

"He's OK, Star! He's unconscious but alive, and there are no life-threatening wounds!"

 _Fuck!_ I thought to myself. The situation was getting worse by the minute. We had to _do_ something.

"Rae, Star, pick them all up and take them to the Tower. I'll keep the Brotherhood off your backs."

"No way. We're not leaving you behind to get killed. We all go."

"If we all go, they'll just keep intercepting and whittling us down until we _all_ die! Now stop being a pain in the ass and do as I say!"

She glared at me but could not come up with a reason to disobey me. Starfire picked Robin up and flew away. Raven stood over Beast Boy and Cyborg, chanted her mantra, and the black, spectral bird took them under its wing, flying after Starfire.

* * *

I flitted higher to get a better look at the battlefield. I had a large shield-disk in front of me, protecting me from bullets and shells, but maintaining it was starting to become difficult. I had to reduce the number of attackers, or they would overwhelm me by sheer numbers.

Two disks sliced into the nearest tank, chopping off parts of it. The massive vehicle shuddered to a stop and smoke started pouring from the openings. One down, several dozen more to go. The next tank was immobilized when my disks cut off a tread and bit through the engine, but its turret was unaffected. It managed to fire another shell at me before two more disks silenced it for good.

A stream of tracers came towards me from the left. I created a second shield, turning towards the new threat. Five Hummers approached swiftly, three equipped with chain guns and two with missile launchers. I sent two disks to meet them, leaving two Hummers burning in the sand. The others split up and accelerated. I tossed several disks at them, but their speed made them difficult to hit. By the time I finally managed to reduce them all to burning hulks, the grind and squeal of treads behind me was getting loud.

Turning back I saw three of the hundred-ton armored monstrosities almost on top of me. Back in World War II the Germans had a word for what I was feeling: _Panzerangst_. Tank fear. The ground shook, the screech of the caterpillar treads drilling into my ears, the roar of the tanks' engines reverberating in my bones, and the sight of the barrel of the main gun yawning at me, all of it together made me wish I could curl into a fetal position, cover my head with my hands and whimper.

Then I remembered my friends. Bloodied Robin, broken Beast Boy, smashed Cyborg. I clenched my teeth and screamed in defiance, creating a large, horizontal disk. I swept it through all three metallic behemoths, cleaving steel, rubber and flesh. Ammo storages blew up, volatile oils and fuel ignited and the concussion from three close explosions threw me down to the ground.

Ignoring the pain and dizziness I sprung up, created a levitating disk again and hopped onto it. I sped southwards, trying to put some distance between Immortus' armored columns and myself. But my swift movement was quickly noticed and the formations wheeled to engage me.

Missiles and chain gun rounds impacted into my shield without much success, but it was the smash of the 120 mm armor-piercing shells that felt like a knife stabbing into my brain every time one of them struck at my shield. I moved sideways, throwing disks as I floated, taking down dozens of tanks and IFVs. But there were always more, and everywhere I tried to run a fresh formation appeared, firing everything they had at me.

The flying bots joined the fray, keeping themselves at long range and safe from my disks, peppering me with missile and rocket fire. It was ineffective, but I realized that between them and the armor, I was being herded into a killing zone. Soon I would be surrounded on all sides, a round would find a hole in my defenses and that would be it.

I rose with the disk a few feet, risking it all to get a clearer picture of my surroundings. My heart sank; the ground was crawling with tanks, IFVs and armored Hummers wherever I looked. Hundreds of robotic and human infantry were approaching from all sides. There was no place to run.

I was already tired and fighting mechanically, my mind only concentrating on maintaining my shield and guiding my disks. IFVs exploded, Hummers broke down in burning pieces and tanks spewed oily, black smoke, still rolling, their hundred-ton mass difficult to stop. But always more appeared.

Missiles and Vulcan rounds struck my shield, mortar shells rained down. Grenade fragments whistled around me, eerily keening. A blow below my shoulder threw me off my disk.

Shaking my head to clear it I looked at my right arm. A grenade fragment, still sizzling hot, was embedded above my right elbow. The entire arm was numb, blood flowing freely from the large wound. Strangely, there was no pain. Ignoring it, I renewed my shield, hopped back on my disk and wreaked havoc on my tormentors. Smaller vehicles were cut in half, immediately bursting into flame; tank turrets were carved up together with the crew inside them.

An airburst exploded above me. Steel pellets rained on me, two of them finding my right shoulder. One penetrated into the muscle, while the other smashed the clavicle. Agony exploded from the mauled shoulder, numbing my brain.

Tears of pain, rage and frustration clouded my eyes. I screamed again, unleashing everything I had. Scores of armored vehicles fell apart, exploding or bursting into flames. Men and robots were cut to shreds or blown away by the explosions of the stricken tanks and IFVs.

A pair of 120 mm APFSDS rounds slammed into my shield almost simultaneously. It felt like someone had struck me in the head with a white-hot crowbar. The shield dissolved as I fell on my knees on the disk. A burst from an assault rifle stitched across my belly and lower chest, throwing me again off the disk. I fell to the ground and rolled downhill, ending up on my back.

I coughed blood, agony assaulting me from every part of my body for a short time, before slowly receding in the distance. Everything became dreamy, unreal. My mind appeared to float away from the rest of me. I wondered if I was going to drown in my own blood or if peritonitis was going to get me first. Or maybe massive blood loss. It was an interesting intellectual conundrum.

My vision darkened and the roar of battle seemed to come from far away. I couldn't move my head. I felt the ground shake as a tank approached, ready to grind me into bloody mud under its treads. I could see it getting closer. I observed it with detached interest, wondering why it was completely black, and the way it crumpled upon itself reminded me of someone stepping on a soda can. I tried to chuckle at the sight, but I had no strength to do it. Turning my dimming eyes skywards, I managed to see a beautiful green fireworks display before utter darkness fell on me. A sense of satisfaction permeated what little remained of my consciousness. _I'm going out in style_.

"Don't you _dare_ do this to me!" I heard and then knew no more.


	19. Chapter 19

There was nothing. No light, no sound, no smell. No pull of gravity, no heat or cold, no pain, no pleasure. There were no thoughts, no feelings, no sensations. Just a formless, mindless floating in a formless, senseless void, until awareness started creeping in.

I felt the linen below me, the gravity that pulled at me and pressed me into the bed. I heard muffled sounds around me, not able to recognize them. I tried to open my eyes, but I had no strength.

Then came the pain. It helped define myself better. I had a body and it was hurting. I had arms and hands, my fingers twitched. I had legs and feet. My toes moved. I was breathing. It hurt, but it was happening. I knew that it was important but I couldn't remember why.

There were more sounds around me, but I still could not process them. Again I tried to open my eyes. My eyelids fluttered, bright light hurting my eyes. I closed them quickly, but the memory stayed with me. Suddenly exhausted, I slept.

I awoke again. I opened my eyes, squinting at the bright light, closing them again. Again I was aware of sounds around me, and this time I could discern the humming and beeping of machinery and the sound of voices talking.

"Match? Are you awake?"

 _Of course I am,_ I tried to answer the question, but only a croak escaped my mouth.

I opened my eyes again. The light was not as bright now. Fuzzy images moved above me. Two glowing, violet eyes appeared as her face slowly came into focus. I tried to move my arm, to raise my hand and touch that face. A hand gripped mine. I tried to squeeze it; I tried to speak, but I was too weak for anything.

"You must sleep. You will be stronger tomorrow."

I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to look at her, listen to her voice, discover it all again as if I had never seen or heard her before; play with it clumsily like a baby learning everything for the first time, laughing in wonder at everything new. But exhaustion overcame me and I slept.

Pain awoke me. I groaned and opened my eyes. Her face was hovering over me, her eyes watching me with concern. I smiled.

"Ra… ven"

"Hush. Don't speak. You are alive and recovering. That is all that matters. You must rest."

I slept.

I woke up again, my head clear. I felt weak as a kitten, meaning I was a lot stronger than before. I tried to raise myself on an elbow and look around. A large metallic paw gently pressed my shoulder down. Cyborg's face floated into view. The sight of him opened the floodgates and memories rushed in. My eyes opened completely and I took in a sharp breath.

"Cy?"

He pressed his index finger over his mouth, looking meaningfully over me. With effort I lifted my head and saw Raven sitting on a chair, her head resting on the bed beside my shoulder. She was sleeping.

"Is she OK?" I whispered, immediately worried about her. He knelt beside me and whispered back.

"She's fine, just exhausted. She had to fix the three of you. And you were not easy to fix."

"I see you're OK" I whispered back. "How are BB and Robin?"

"We're all fine. Robin is already up and running, and the greenbean will need about a week more for his leg to set completely, but he's otherwise good. Except that he's bored" he concluded with a grin.

I grinned weakly back. Then I remembered. "The Brotherhood…"

"Shhhh. They've slunk back to whatever rock they crawled under from. You girls gave them a mother of a thrashing."

I felt Raven move. She stretched painfully and looked at me.

"Welcome back" she said, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Cyborg got up. "I have to check something. I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Don't do anything I wouldn't" he grinned and left us.

I watched him leave, then turned my gaze on her.

"He knows" I told her.

"They all know. I was quite obvious when I saw what happened to you. I almost lost it."

I tried to laugh and regretted it at once. I coughed a couple of times, pain lancing from my lungs.

She was on me immediately, calming and soothing me. As the coughing fit passed, she frowned on me.

"You must be careful. You are still full of holes."

"How did I survive?"

"I have no idea" she said flatly. "Sheer stubbornness. You had several holes in you, your lungs were compromised and your intestines were all ripped up; your diaphragm damaged; half your internal organs were riddled and you lost an amazing amount of blood. Not to mention the shattered arm and shoulder."

I grimaced in distaste. "Ugh. Not something I wish to recall. Who saved me? I can barely remember… green fireworks… Was that Starfire?"

She nodded. "She is a sweet, happy and caring girl, but when she gets really angry, you should dig a deep hole and hide in it."

"Reminds me of someone."

She smiled at me, but her eyes flashed. "You wish."

I reached for her hand. "I _know_. The tank… it turned black. It crumpled in on itself. You squashed a Main Battle Tank as if it was a soda can."

She lifted her eyebrow. "I did?"

I rolled my eyes, seeing that she was going to be stubborn about it.

She looked at me for a moment, then squeezed my hand.

"Match, you have to understand that I hate losing control. I don't like talking about it, even if it may sound impressive. For me it is… shameful."

I pulled her towards me until she was very close.

"Not always" I whispered.

She smiled, giving me a tiny kiss, not more than a brush of her lips against mine. "Not always."

She straightened out. "In any case, Starfire and me found you, kicked some Brotherhood butt and whisked whatever bits and pieces remained of you to the Tower."

"And the Brotherhood didn't follow you?"

Her eyes flashed again. "They tried."

I almost laughed but I managed to control myself. "How did you find where I was?"

"That was easy. We just followed the smoke and fire."

I smiled at her and suddenly felt exhausted. She sensed it and touched my face.

"Sleep now. You're recovering fine."

I nodded, closed my eyes and slept.

* * *

The next week was quite unpleasant, not to say close to torture, mainly because they moved a very bored Beast Boy into my room. His leg was in a cast and under traction. He spent most of his time playing games on a tablet and listening to music, but he would often get bored with that and then start bombarding me with unfunny jokes, innuendos about Raven and me and all sorts of foolish banter.

Next time Raven came in to check me, I took the opportunity to complain.

"Either take him elsewhere, kill him or kill me. Or I will."

She just smiled. "It's your punishment. Next time you try to play the hero I'll break his leg and keep him with you in the infirmary again."

"I heard that!" Beast Boy called from his bed, where he was pretending to be absorbed in a game on his tablet.

I rolled my eyes. "Very funny. Isn't playing heroes kind of what we do here?"

Her eyes flashed in anger. "Don't get smart with me. I can see through that armor."

I looked at her, surprised. She understood more about me than I did myself.

"Rae, I…"

"So, how are our patients doing?" Cyborg interrupted as he walked into the infirmary.

"They're both fine" Raven hold him. "I think Garfield can be moved to his room. Can you see to it, Cy?"

Beast Boy looked up from his game. "Yeah! That's right, momma!"

She turned to him. "You'll still be in bed and in traction, so forget about whatever you thought of doing!"

His ears drooped. "Awww, how much longer? It's been _years_ and Match isn't much of a company!"

He remembered I was there, listening. His face darkened. "No offense!"

"None taken, BB. But my lungs are still not good and I must not laugh at your wonderful jokes."

"You… you really like 'em? Wooo-hooo! I'll tell you all of them as soon as you get better!"

"Do you have any idea of what you're getting yourself into?" Raven asked me, both eyebrows way up.

"No worries, as soon as I feel better I'll just cut his tongue out" I said with an evil grin on my face.

Raven almost laughed. Her shoulders shook a little, her hand hiding her mouth. "Let me know when and I'll hold him while you do it!"

"Hey! Two on one, not fair!" Beast Boy shouted, a hurt expression on his face.

Cyborg chuckled as he walked over to Beast Boy's bed. "Time for your sponge bath, grass stain!"

"Ugh. Those metal paws are _cold_ , dude!" He smiled slyly. "I bet Rae's hands are soft and warm!"

He suddenly turned pale green as Raven and me skewered him with our glares.

"You may want to cut off something else beside his tongue" Raven growled.

"Just hold him still" I replied, glaring at him.

"Heh… Did… did I say something? Sorry!"

Cyborg laughed and pulled the privacy curtain over, hiding them from view.

* * *

It took two more weeks before Raven declared me fit enough to move to my room, but I was still weak from the wounds and the recovery. I started on a light exercise plan to slowly build my strength up, but I would need at least a month before my wounds healed completely and I was back to my previous level of performance.

This meant I had a lot of time for thinking and re-evaluating myself. My relationship with Raven deepened and the bonds of friendship I forged with the rest of the Titans grew stronger, but Robin's words always came back to haunt me, as I realized that he was right and that I would never really be a part of the team.

I was torn between the wish to stay there and the realization that it was not possible. And behind it all, the shadow of the mysterious briefcase hung over us all. Raven knew about my quandary, of course; there was no way of hiding such things from her, so I didn't even try. But she did realize that it was something that I had to solve myself and that any external influence, however well intentioned, would only cause resistance and do more harm than good. She left me to fight it out with myself, but always present and supportive and always ready to listen when I needed to voice my internal dialogues to someone.

She would sit beside me quietly, most often reading, knowing that her mere presence had a soothing and calming effect on me. When I felt the need to talk, she was the perfect listener, quietly following the internal dilemmas that I voiced, encouraging me to go on with short, non-committal remarks, never judging, always caring.

However, it was one day when I was alone, the Titans responding to an emergency, when I realized what had to be done. I was on the roof of the Tower, kneeling in seiza as I loved to do, watching the ocean and enjoying the tangy breeze. As many times before, my subconscious mind had resolved the conflict and provided me with an answer. But this time it was also clear how I had to do it.

They returned, tired and slightly the worse for the wear, but in good spirits and, most importantly for me, unharmed. I joined them in the Ops room and took part in their good-natured banter, even playing a few games with Beast Boy. Night fell and they all slowly left for their rooms. Before she left, Raven came over and touched me on the shoulder, a question in her eyes. I shook my head and covered her hand with mine for a few moments. She nodded and left.

Robin remained behind, his face glued to the monitor, making use of the peace and quiet to get work done. I let him work for an hour, not because I did not wish to disturb him but because I wanted the rest to be safely asleep. When I gauged that I'd waited enough. I got up and walked over to him, placing my hand on his shoulder.

"Robin…"

He started slightly, his eyes going up to meet mine.

"Yes?"

"Give me the briefcase."

"What?"

"The briefcase. Give it to me. Please."

"What, now?"

I nodded.

"Why do you want it?"

"Just trust me, OK?"

"Match, I'm not sure –"

"Robin, if I haven't earned your trust in the last weeks then I never will. Give me the briefcase, please."

His gaze was intense, as if he was trying to pry the reason from my eyes. He finally rose and said "Follow me."

We went downstairs, to the Vault. He approached the security door and turned to me again.

"Are you sure of this?"

I nodded. "I will not give it to anyone. Not Slade, not Red X, not the Brotherhood. I won't even leave the Tower. I just need to do something."

He looked at me for a few moments more, then decided and opened the vault door, took the briefcase and gave it to me.

"Take good care of it" he said.

I smiled. I could not answer.

I took the briefcase and went upstairs. I cast a quick glance behind to make sure he was not following me. Satisfied, I exited to the roof.

Technically, I suppose I lied to him when I told him I would not leave the Tower, but it was a small, reassuring lie that was close enough to the truth. I had no intention of going anywhere.

I knelt in seiza on the edge, closing my eyes, the briefcase beside me. I reviewed my intention again, going through the possible reactions to my future actions. Knowing it had to be done did not make it any easier.

Suddenly I was aware of him. _How the hell did he get here? How did he know I was here?_

I sprang up, spinning around, blades extending from my hands.

"I am glad you survived, Match."

I stood silent, my blades crossed in front of me, looking into his single eye.

"It must be my birthday" he said. "The two things I desire the most, just in front of me, ready for the taking."

"That may turn out to be a difficult task" I said, bluffing weakly.

He chuckled. "Maybe, if you were in top condition. But even then you were not able to best me. As you are now, you won't last five seconds against me."

He was not boasting. He was stating a fact, and I knew it.

I gritted my teeth and got ready for his attack, but he didn't move.

"I will try once again to reason with you. Come with me. Forget the Titans. Be my partner, my lover. Together, we can rule this city! We can rule everything!"

I shook my head.

"I am prepared to sacrifice much to have you come of your own free will, Match. I am even ready to promise you that I will not hurt them unless they threaten me directly."

"No."

He sighed. A strange thing for the Terminator to do.

"So be it."

He swung his staff at me. My blade rose to block it barely in time, and I followed with a stab. His staff flicked my attempt aside and his fist sank into my gut.

I was not fully healed. Agony shot from my belly to my brain as I was left breathless and squirming on the floor. He circled around me, waiting for me to recover. Eyes half blind with pain and hands shaking, I created a blade and tried to swing it at him. His staff swatted it aside, then rose and stabbed into my wrist, making me lose control over the blade. It dissolved.

"You have only disappointed me in two things, Match" he said, his voice silky and deadly at the same time. "First, you never realized how I could keep such close tabs on you and your friends."

The pain in my gut was still ripping me apart, but my mind was working again. Understanding struck me.

"The… communicator…"

"Yes. I gave it to you, which made it suspect. I even told you I made it myself, which should have made it doubly suspect. But you kept it."

"Didn't… know…"

"It is not a question of knowing. You should have suspected it. But something made you keep it. I wonder what."

I had recovered some breath, but my belly still burned. I got to my hands and knees, trying to get up.

He kicked me in the left cheekbone, throwing me aside, not hard enough for me to pass out, but certainly hard enough for me to cry in pain as white lights went off in my head.

 _Why is everyone hitting me there?_ I wondered pointlessly.

Some semblance of reason still functioned in my mind. I rolled to the side, my back to him, as I pulled the communicator from my pocket and pressed the Alert button. He circled around and noticed what I was doing. His heel came down hard, smashing the communicator and two of my fingers. I whimpered, the pain overwhelming me so hard that I couldn't even scream.

"Don't bother. I have disabled it. Your friends are sleeping, dreaming of law and justice and a better world for all. But the only better world that I want is the one where I rule!"

He squatted beside me, grabbed my hair and pulled my head up so I could look into his eye.

"The second disappointment was much harder to bear" he hissed as he stared at me with hatred. Part of my mind saw fit to comment that this was the only time I saw a strong emotion in that eye. "Do you know what it was?"

I couldn't answer. I was too busy dealing with the waves of pain that radiated into my mind from my hand, my gut, my head.

He let go of my hair, my head falling and bouncing off the concrete rooftop. He rose.

"It was seeing. You. With. That. Demon. Slut!" he shouted as he punctuated each word by kicking me in the gut, the ribs, the back, the head. Every kick brought renewed agony from my half-healed wounds, every kick carefully measured for maximum hurt without allowing me to pass out. I could only moan, trying ineffectually to roll away from his assault, hoping for unconsciousness or death or anything that would bring an end to the pain.

I was curled in fetal position, whining. There was only pain. I was swimming in an ocean of agony, drowning in hurt. But a spark of me still remained. The spark lit the pain and made it flare up, burning into a fiery rage.

I turned around and straightened my mauled arm, releasing a disk at him. He stepped aside, avoiding it.

"That is why I like you. You never give up."

He came closer, kicked me in the head again. It made me roll away, my head spinning from the pain, while I tried to keep myself from throwing up.

He squatted in front of me like before, pulled my head up by grabbing my hair and forced me to look into his eye again.

"I would have preferred to have all of you" he said, and then smashed my head back on the concrete. "But I only need your body."

"So cute to see two lovers woo" a metallic voice rang from behind him. Slade sprung up, whirling and throwing two blades at the voice, his staff in his hand.

Red X avoided the blades elegantly. He was holding the briefcase.

"Here we go again" he said in his best mocking voice. "You two making out, and me taking the briefcase. I only hope this is the real one now."

Slade advanced towards him. "I suggest that you leave that briefcase and go" he said in a velvety voice, but the undercurrent of deadly threat was unmistakable.

"Sorry, no can do" Red X said, as he kept his distance from Slade, hopping around the rooftop, the briefcase clutched in his hand.

"Then we'll do this the hard way" Slade said as he sprang towards Red X. He twisted to avoid the sticky X launched at him and followed with a flying kick. Red X rolled under the kick, jumping up and again keeping his distance, avoiding a fight. Slade followed him.

I was still on the floor, whimpering in pain, but I was able to follow what was happening and my mind was slowly starting to work. It looked like Red X was trying to get closer to me, but I wasn't sure.

As they danced, I became convinced of it. I managed to get to my knees, nursing my smashed hand. Red X noticed it and jumped towards me, Slade in pursuit.

"Match! NOW!" he shouted, the voice filters of his mask not able to conceal the urgency in his voice. He spun in a full circle, the briefcase flying from his hand and arcing high over the edge of the T. I understood what he wanted. After all, it was the reason I came here in the first place.

I released a single disk. It sailed in slow motion, lazily approaching the briefcase as it reached the top of its arc and started on a painfully slow parabola towards the ocean. Both Slade and Red X stopped and stood still, watching, mesmerized. The paths of the disk and the briefcase finally intersected.

There was a flash of light and a thunderous sound. The briefcase, and whatever was in it, was instantly vaporized. It was over.

"I will make you pay for this" Slade hissed as he turned to Red X.

"Sorry, I'm kinda broke right now. Another time!" he said, manipulated a control on his belt and vanished.

Slade let go of a furious howl and turned to me. He strode over. I saw in his eye that he wanted to take out his fury on anything unfortunate enough to be close to him. And I was very close.

He grabbed me by the throat and lifted me like a toy. I couldn't breathe. His hand squeezed; my eyes dimmed. I created a disk to cut him, but it dissolved immediately. He released his grip a little, allowing me to gulp some air.

"Still fighting. I really admire your spirit. But as I said, I only need your body."

He slapped me with his other hand, my head flying to the side, blood spurting from my nose.

"Since I already have the second, I can enjoy destroying the first."

He backhanded me. My ear rang as his mailed fist connected. My teeth clacked together, biting my tongue. He slammed me down on the concrete, lifting his leg to stomp me.

A black tentacle coiled around him.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!"

I looked up from the ground, my sight hazy. I saw a tall, shadowy form, a mass of inky tentacles coiling under it, radiating an unearthly terror, four slits in its head blazing with red hellfire. A mouth with rows of razor-sharp, serrated teeth opened below them. It wore a blue hooded cloak.

More tentacles snaked forward to envelop Slade. He fought uselessly. The tentacles slowly dragged him closer to the gnashing teeth.

"Rae, please, don't…" I whimpered, realizing she couldn't hear me, and even if she could, she was too far gone to care. There was only one thing to do.

A pair of disks sailed from my hands to slash at the black tentacles. They cut deeply, but could not sever the magical flesh. They did loosen the tentacles' grip on Slade. He limped away to the edge and jumped over into the surf below.

"You owe me, cocksucker" I hissed after him.

The horror turned to me and started floating over. I looked at the four red eyes blazing with the flames of Hell. I was too wounded to move; I could only watch as it approached.

A tentacle coiled around me and dragged me closer. I could feel the icy cold of the grave and the blaze of burning hells radiating from her. Then the creature shrunk, the red eyes extinguished, the tentacles vanished. She stood there, her hands on her mouth, watching me with undisguised horror in her eyes.

"Rae, please…" I tried to tell her, but she turned and ran away. I created a disk in front of her, trying to stop her. She lifted her hand and a black nimbus enveloped the disk, brushing it aside. I created another one but she phased through the floor, disappearing.

I crawled towards the roof entrance on my knees, too weak to get up, nursing my broken hand. My knees were soon bloody, but I kept crawling. I had to reach her. I had to see her. I had to let her know that I didn't care.

The entrance burst open, Cyborg and the rest rushing to the roof, running to my side. Cyborg picked me up in his arms.

"We've got you, girl. I'll get you to sickbay right away. Don't you worry. Don't you worry."

"Cyborg… no…" I said as loud as I could. "Raven… I must see Raven!"

"You're in no shape –"

"NO! Take me to see her NOW!" I shouted with everything I had.

The effort exhausted me almost completely, but I hung on grimly, not allowing myself to fall unconscious. I didn't dare.

Cyborg shook his head. "OK, girl, if it's that important." He strode to Raven's room, carrying me in his arms.

We got to her door. He knocked.

"Go away!" sounded from inside.

"Again, Cyborg" I insisted.

He knocked again.

"I said, GO AWAY!"

"AGAIN!"

Cyborg smashed his fist into the door. The door went down, crashing on the floor.

"Put me in, pick up and close the door and then go away. If I find anyone eavesdropping I will personally carve him into mincemeat and feed it to Silkie!"

Cyborg looked at me and realized I wasn't joking. He did as I ordered.

I limped forward slowly. The room was dark, but I could see her form huddled in a corner.

"Rae… Raven, please!"

"Go away! I'm a monster, a freak! Why don't you just run away and leave me alone!"

I limped towards her. "Oh, no, young lady. You won't get rid of me that easy."

"I said, GO AWAY! Leave me!"

"No. Fucking. WAY!"

"Please, leave me! I can't face you, don't you understand?"

I've reached my limit. Waves of pain crashed into my brain; I was dizzy and my bile was rising; every breath caused fresh waves of agony to go through me. I had to make her understand.

 _"I DON'T FUCKING CARE! I LOVE YOU!"_

It took everything I had. I fell to my knees, releasing fresh waves of pain from my scraped knees and my cracked ribs. I swayed and finally fell down. My mind simply gave up and shut down, and I fell unconscious.

* * *

Pain woke me up. It was dark, but I didn't mind; somehow it felt right, soothing like a soft lullaby. I felt something warm beside me and I tried to raise my head to see what it was. Pain lanced through my brain, forcing me to abandon the attempt.

A shadow rose beside me. I realized it was her and a warm feeling of contentment filled my heart. She was there, and that was all that mattered.

"Sleep" she whispered, placing a finger on my lips. I kissed her finger and slept.

When I awoke the next time I realized I was in her room. It was daytime, but the drapes were closed and the room was still gloomy. I carefully took stock of myself – two arms, two legs, so far so good. My ear was buzzing. I wriggled my fingers and winced at the pain, but it was obvious that they were in a much better shape than before. I gently touched my belly and my ribs. Lots of damage, but everything apparently on a good path to healing. I touched my face. I could barely feel my fingers on it. It felt as if I had been to the dentist and it was full of anesthetic.

I frowned and regretted it instantly, pain from my nose cutting into my brain. I forced myself to relax.

I looked around her room. She was not in. It made me anxious. I slowly swung my legs over the bed and carefully sat on it, fighting the waves of pain and nausea that threatened to overcome me. I breathed deeply for a few minutes, ignoring the pain lancing from my ribs, then went on to Phase Two.

I took hold of the headboard with my good hand and tried to get up. The first two tries my legs gave up and I fell back on the bed, the pain and nausea almost overwhelming me. I fought it down. Third time is the charm.

I got up to my feet, my knees wobbly and my legs barely supporting me. Time for Phase Three.

I took a careful step, my good hand bracing me against the wall, trying to follow it to the door. Another step. Another. This was starting to get easier.

The door sighed open. She walked in, saw me and shouted.

"What in the Nine Hells do you think you're _doing?_ "

"Looking for you."

Her eyes blazed with white fury. "Do you have any idea – _Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!_ " she cried as she noticed that my legs were starting to give way. A black cloud enveloped me and carried me gently over to the bed.

"Are you _insane?_ What possessed you to do such a stupid, unnecessary, _thoughtless_ act?"

"I was looking for you… I didn't find you when I woke up."

"You stupid, _stubborn_ – don't you _ever_ do this to me again!"

"All right, ma."

Her voice became a lot quieter – and a lot more dangerous. "Don't get smart with me, or you _will_ regret it."

"All right, Rae. Sorry. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't."

I slept again and awoke to dull aches and stiffness. I felt her warmth beside me and the discomfort was forgotten.

"Rae?"

"Mmmhmmm?"

"Are you sleeping?"

Her head rose. "You're worse than Beast Boy!"

I wanted to laugh but thought better of it. "Sorry."

"It's OK. I'm glad you're awake."

"I wanted to thank you for rescuing me again" I told her.

"Thank Red X" she said.

"What happened?"

"He appeared in my room. Just as I was preparing to attack him, he said 'Match is on the roof, Slade is killing her' and he vanished. I portaled to the roof, saw Slade choking you and I… I…"

"Shhh. We can skip that part. I know the rest."

She was silent for a moment, clutching at me, as if she was afraid I would change my mind and bolt from her. "What were you doing on the roof? Why was Slade there?"

"I went to destroy the briefcase" I said.

"What?"

"Rae, that briefcase brought nothing but pain and death. It almost killed me, it almost killed you. It killed a lot of other people. Whatever was inside, it wasn't worth it. I wanted to destroy it myself because then the Justice League would not hold it against you guys."

She stared at me, then a small smile lit her face. "You're unbelievable."

I held her as hard as my pain allowed. "No. You are."

She was silent for a few seconds. "Why was Slade there?"

"He was tracking me all this time using the communicator I had. He knew I was there, knew I had the briefcase."

"And Red X?"

"He figured it out."

"I don't understand."

I looked at her. "I'll probably tell you one day."

She was silent. I started drifting off.

"Match?"

"Mmmh?"

"Thank you. For not letting me… kill him."

"I'm not sure that was such a good idea."

Her head shot up, anger in her eyes. " _Never_ say that!"

The anger left her eyes and she put her head down again. "Please, it is important to me. If I had killed him… I would probably remain…"

I shuddered in spite of myself. She held me close, again afraid I may run away from her. I hugged her closer and finally fell asleep.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** OK, for all of you that are going to be angry for never revealing what was in the famous briefcase: I didn't know myself :-) For reference, please watch Season 5, Episode 9, "Revved Up".

As you may have deduced already, the story of Match's adventures has almost reached the end. The next (and last) chapter should be out soon, wrapping things up and tying some loose ends, but I promise it will be worth reading. I already have a surprise in store!

Again thanks to all that have followed the story so far, and all of you that left reviews and likes. It kept me going and made the story a lot of fun to write. So don't be shy and say what you think. Cheers all!


	20. Chapter 20

For a couple of days I was recovering in Raven's room, seeing only her. I mostly spent it sleeping, but as I got better I started getting frisky.

"Why are you keeping me in your room? Wouldn't it be better if I was in the infirmary?"

"I don't trust you not to do something foolish and irresponsible" she said, frowning at me.

I frowned back. "That's a nice cop out, but it's not the real reason. What's going on?"

"Later."

"Raven, something is going on, something that concerns me and I see now that it concerns you. If you don't tell me I will go and find out myself."

"You can certainly try."

"All right, if that's the way it's going to be…" I took the blankets off myself and swung my legs over the bed, trying to sit. Again I was struck with pain, dizziness and nausea, but it was nothing compared to what I went through a few days ago. I felt like a million bucks.

"You are naked, you know."

"So what?" I replied, grabbing the headboard for support and trying to get up.

She sighed. "All right! I'll tell you!"

I looked at her, then slowly sank back onto the bed. "Well?"

"Stubborn, obstinate, ornery redhead!" she grumbled under her breath.

"Raven…"

"All right! The League is pissed off. Because of the briefcase. Robin's under a lot of pressure and you may be in deep trouble!"

"That's it?" I laughed. "Get Robin here. I'll give him the story so he can tell the League to stick it up their –"

"Would you mind your language, please?" she interrupted me, growling. "You seem to be taking this too lightly!"

I snorted. "What can they do to me that hasn't already been done?"

She shook her head. "I still think you're underestimating their power to make your life miserable" she said.

"Just get Robin and the others here, willya?"

"No. This is _my_ room. I don't like people parading through it." She got up. "I'll bring you some clothes and a wheelchair. I'll take you to the Ops room and you can tell us the whole story there."

"Works for me" I said with a smirk.

She went out and soon returned with a bundle of clothing and pushing an empty wheelchair. I looked at it and frowned. I may have made a mistake.

She tossed the clothes on the bed. "Here! We want the boys to actually listen to what you've got to say, not stare at your… attributes."

I leered at her. "Nice, aren't they?"

She blushed and pointedly turned her back on me. "Would you mind hurrying up?"

I put on the clothes she gave me, wincing at the protest of my healing ribs and gut.

"Let's go" I said as I finished. She turned to me, looked at the wheelchair and then looked at me, arching her eyebrows.

"No way. I'm not a wheezy old paralytic. I'll walk."

She gave me a dangerous look and spoke in a soft voice.

"It is not open to discussion."

Her tone made the meaning of her words abundantly clear. I sat in the wheelchair like the wheezy old paralytic that I was.

She pushed me along. I was fuming. I couldn't see her, but I could feel the smug smile on her face.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold" I mumbled to myself.

"Did you say something?"

"No, nothing. Just humming."

"Good."

We entered the Ops room to a chorus of whoops and hoots. They were all there, their joy to see me obvious on their faces. I felt a physical pain in my chest.

"Hey all!" I said, overwhelmed.

"Hey girl! Glad to see y'all in good shape!" Cyborg beamed.

"You calling this 'good shape'?"

"Compared to last time I saw you…"

"You really know how to make a girl's day, dontcha, Cy?" I told him, grinning.

"Hey, Match!" Robin said as he approached.

"Hey yourself! Rae told me the JL is giving you shit?"

"Nothing I can't handle" he said dismissively, but it was obvious that it was weighing on him heavily.

"Yo, momma, whassup? We wanted to visit you, but Rae threatened chaos and mayhem if we tried!"

"I know, BB. She gets a bit… overprotective at times" I said, casting a glance at her. She frowned slightly but refused to take the bait.

Starfire flitted down beside me. "Friend Match! Oh, I am so glad to see that you are on the way of the recovery from the hurt!" She put her arms around me to hug me, but Raven's voice stopped her.

"No hugs, Starfire! Her ribs still haven't healed!"

Starfire blushed. "That is correct. Friend Raven had already given me the warning, but it made the slip from my mind!" She contented herself with a kiss on my cheek and then flitted away.

"Let's get this done and over with, shall we? Match is still in bad shape and she shouldn't overexert."

Raven pushed the wheelchair in front of the couch and floated in lotus position beside me. The others sat on the couch, facing me, waiting.

I felt like a schoolgirl, a small blush creeping up my face. I fought it down, dismissed the feeling and started talking. I gave them the full story – my internal dilemmas, my decision and the reasons behind it, everything that happened on the roof of the Tower until the moment that Raven appeared.

"… so there I was, Slade choking me and beating my face to a pulp, when Rae showed up. She told me later that Red X warned her Slade was in the process of killing me up on the roof, so she went after him and saved me."

I could feel the tenseness radiating from her. I forced myself not to look at her, hoping the others didn't notice anything.

"Wow. Rae took on Slade by herself?"

"She surprised him and got in a few blows; he was probably expecting the rest of you to show up any moment so he opted for the better part of valor."

"Hang on, momma, you tellin' us Red X threw the briefcase knowing that you would destroy it?"

I nodded. "You see, BB, Red X and me have a lot in common. He understood that delivering the briefcase either to Slade or the Brotherhood would not be in his best interest in the long run."

"So he still did it out of self-interest" Robin said angrily.

" _Judge not, that ye be not judged_ " I said sharply. "Matthew 7. What matters are his actions."

Robin shook his head. "I don't care. He's still a criminal to me."

"Are you trying to tell me something?" I told him as coldly as I could.

He looked up at me and realized his blunder. A blush crept up his face.

"Doesn't matter" I said finally, dismissing it all. "The important thing is that the briefcase is no more. You can tell the Justice League that Match, the infamous bounty hunter, was responsible for its destruction."

He grinned at me. "I will. Believe me, I will!"

"Good. If that is all, I will return the patient to my room. The restriction on visits still stands, until further notice" Raven said with finality in her voice. She turned the wheelchair and pushed me out of the room, amidst a chorus of goodbyes and get-well-soons.

She wheeled me to her room and helped me get into bed. She covered me and sat on the bed beside me, looking at me.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"I still don't understand" she said.

"Come here" I told her, taking her hand and pulling her close. She put her head on my shoulder.

"We all have monsters inside, Rae."

"You can't compare –"

"Yes, I can. There are people that can suffer anguish because they stole a cookie. You can't measure these things, Rae. What matters is how we deal with them."

"But –"

"Give it a rest, already!" I said, annoyed. "I love all of you, not only the good part. I take you as you are, monster and all. After all, it saved me. _You_ saved me."

She was silent for a long while. I was starting to drift away, tired after everything that happened during the day. It had exhausted me more than I cared to admit.

"Thank you" she said finally, her voice muffled, her face buried in my shoulder.

"Hmmm? What for?" I asked, dragged away from the brink of sleep.

"For being you."

I smiled, kissed the top of her head and went to sleep.

* * *

A few more days passed. I was getting better quickly. I suspected Raven had a hidden hand in it, but I knew that any questioning would be useless, so I gave up on it. I was now strong enough to walk, even though it tired me quickly. I paced the room as much as I could, trying to recover some stamina. I started juggling disks to keep my mind in practice. It was during one of these juggling sessions that Raven walked in, catching me in the act.

"I hope you don't cut up my furniture and linen" she said.

"Don't worry" I said as I rotated four disks around each other in an intricate dance, testing my control over them.

She observed the dancing disks, a small frown on her face. "Your control seems to have improved. You've been practicing behind my back" she said.

I grinned at her, then my face got serious. "Not much else to do, is there?" I said, dismissing the disks.

She sat on the bed and took my hand.

"Match, I'm sorry, but you're still recovering. I know it is difficult for you and that you're bored, but there's not much I can do about it."

I sighed. "I know. It'll pass." I relaxed back in the bed, looking at her.

She looked back. "I need to meditate. Will you be all right?"

"Of course I will" I told her. I was happy just watching her, studying her face, her hands, her posture.

She smiled, floated up in lotus position and started chanting slowly. I watched her for a while, then grew drowsy and fell asleep.

It was already late evening when I woke up, sensing she was snuggling against me. I lifted an arm to accommodate her better.

"Sorry to wake you" she said.

"One of the best wakings I had" I answered with a smile. Feeling her close suddenly stirred my hunger for her. I wanted her, badly. I pushed the feelings down, not wanting to distress her.

She lifted her head, looking at me. Her eyes were glowing in the gathering gloom.

"As your doctor, I think that a little light exercise will do you good" she said.

"Oh? And what kind of exercise did you have in mind?"

"It involves a levitating disk."

"I see."

Revenge was going to be served very hot.

* * *

In a few days more I was well enough to start venturing to the roof, enjoying the view and the breeze. It beat being in bed by a long stretch.

I was kneeling in seiza, drinking it all in, when I felt a presence. It was not hostile.

"Hey, Red."

"X" I said, without turning.

"I was looking for you the last few days. Good to see you recovering."

I heard him saunter over and saw him sit, cross-legged, beside me.

"How is it?"

"Painful. Slade kicked the shit out of me."

"I've noticed. I also see Raven and the others saved you."

"It was Raven."

"Just she? Taking on Slade? I knew she was powerful, but…"

I cursed myself for the slip. "He was having too much fun bashing my face in. She caught him by surprise." That was certainly true. Hell, _I_ was surprised at what I saw. Putting it mildly.

We sat silent for a few moments.

"So, you figured it out" I told him, looking at him.

He nodded. "Took me a while. You did leave me wondering."

He turned and looked at me. The filters in the mask gave his voice a metallic sound. "I started following you, both because of the briefcase and because of what you said. Looking for an opening to snatch it, and trying to see what made you tick. Then I saw you and Raven take on Overload."

"For fuck's sakes, was there someone selling popcorn also?" I snarled, suddenly furious.

"That whooshing sound was your words flying over my head."

I sighed, looked again at the waves. "Slade was also watching that battle."

He chuckled. "I see."

"Forget it. Go on."

"I saw her go down. I saw you trap Overload and then try to revive Raven. I could almost touch your anguish."

He looked away, staring at the ocean.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to go that far when I hired them" he said.

I turned to him, my fury bursting. I grabbed him by his uniform, dragged him close. He didn't resist.

"You were _very_ close to a _very_ painful death. Just so we understand each other."

"We do. Again, I'm sorry."

I released him. "Apology accepted."

He smoothed out his rumpled uniform. "Anyway. That's when all the pieces of the puzzle fell together."

"Puzzle?" I told him, sensing where he was going.

"It was never only the briefcase."

 _Ah, so he got more out of it than I hoped. Good for him._ It was my turn to chuckle. "You got that right."

"So, what now?" I asked him. "You've got a pissed-off Slade on your back, and the Brotherhood will find out sooner or later."

"I can take care of myself."

I looked at him, annoyed.

"Bullshit. That kind of arrogance will get you killed, _kid_. If Slade really comes after you, you're dead meat and you know it. You're going to need someone to watch your back!"

He snorted, the sound comical after coming though the filters. "Who do you suggest?"

"They would take you in, you know. As long as you changed a few things."

"You mean, stop being me?"

"Am I not me?"

He looked at me appraisingly.

"You are different. But it's still definitely you." He looked over the ocean again. "But Boy Blunder would never go for it."

"You'd be surprised" I said sharply. I put a hand on his shoulder.

"Look, I've already dropped in a couple of nice words for you. Call it the proverbial foot in the door. The rest is up to you."

"I'll keep it in mind" he said as he rose and vanished.

I went back to my contemplation. I knelt there until the sun slowly touched the waves and my legs started cramping. I was still sore; it was time to go back.

I heard heavy footsteps behind me and smiled.

"Stealth was never one of your talents, Cy."

"I'll leave that sneaking stuff to you. I like to solve my problems directly."

I laughed. "Yeah. You can't get more direct than a punch of a metal fist!"

"Or a sonic blast" he said, joining me in laughter.

"What brings you to this place?"

"I was looking for you."

"Oh?"

"Yep. Y'all just missed an interesting conversation we had with the Justice League."

"I have a feeling I am going to get a detailed report on it" I said jokingly, but I could feel my gut wrench.

"You bet you will. It started pretty bad, but it ended great."

"All right, that's enough teasing. Spill it!"

"Well, it goes like this. In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth…"

"Cyborg…"

"Sorry, can't resist teasing you. But just so you don't start getting violent, here it is. They start pretty pissed off, demanding a report on the briefcase. So Robin fills them in, saying that Slade tried to steal the briefcase and that you had to destroy it in order to keep it out of Slade's hands, and that he almost killed you while doing it."

"That's not what we agreed" I said, frowning.

"I don't recall him agreeing to anything" Cyborg said with a chuckle. "Anyway, he lays it on so thick – reminds them that you almost got killed trying to protect us while we were bringing them the briefcase, and that later you tried to fight Slade while still suffering from your wounds, earning a few more in the process – in short, he paints such a rosy picture of you that they're all nodding their heads, forgetting completely why they were pissed off in the first place."

I felt uncomfortable. "So Robin's off the hook?"

"Yep. And so are y'all."

"Couldn't give less of a fuck for what they think of me, but I'm glad Robin's not going to get any more shit about it."

"I thought it would make your day" he said. "See ya later, then." He turned to leave, then remembered something and turned back. "Oh, another thing. The League was impressed with the report that I sent them detailing Darren's work. They made him a great offer and he's moving to Gotham next week."

I smiled. That was really great news. I had started to like Darren a lot and I was glad that he would find a good use for his talents.

Cyborg made to leave again, but I stopped him.

"Cy? Before you leave, help me out, willya? I'm all cramped."

He smiled down on me and scooped me up. "Why walk when you can be carried?" he said and carried me to Raven's room.

* * *

A couple of days more passed. I spent my time talking to Raven whenever I could, and juggling my disks, dozing and thinking when I couldn't. One idea started forming in my head and would not leave it. The more I thought about it, the more I liked it.

Starfire would be the best suited to help me. On impulse, I got up from the bed, still stiff and sore, and went to her room.

Luckily, she was in and answered the door almost immediately.

"Friend Match! Oh, this is such a wonderful surprise! Why are you paying me the visit?"

"Hi, Star! May I come in? I want to ask you a favor."

"Please, come in and feel as if you are present in the quarters of your own" she said happily. I stepped in, chuckling inwardly at her unique sentence composition.

"How can I be of the assistance?" Starfire inquired as I sat down, grunting.

"I have a request. I will try to explain from the beginning, so please be patient and listen to me."

She listened to my scheme, getting more and more excited every minute. When I finished, she exclaimed "Friend Match, I will most gladly assist you in the undertaking!"

"Thank you, Star. Remember that this will be a surprise, no one must know anything until we reveal it to them. When do you think you can be ready?"

Her face got serious as she pondered. "I shall require the period of a week" she said, looking at me apprehensively. "Is that period of time too long for you, friend Match?"

"Not at all, Star! A week sounds perfect. It will give me time to recover my strength a bit more. When can you start… you know, working on me?"

"I shall prepare the first selection of the concepts for the day after the tomorrow. Come then so that we can do the reviewing together and then we shall do the deciding."

"That sounds great, Starfire. Will you need anything from me?"

"Not at this time, friend Match. But do not go yet, I was feeling the starvation for your company in the past days!"

"You wish to talk to me?"

"We may perform braiding manoeuvers on each other's hair, and apply pigments to the nails of our toes!"

"Um… I'll skip the toenails, and I'm not an expert in braiding, but feel free to mess with my hair if you want. I haven't brushed it in days, and God knows it needs some attention."

She gave a small yelp of happiness, flew a loop and zoomed off to return in a moment with an armful of combs, brushes and some more sinister-looking tools. Shrugging off a small twinge of apprehension, I allowed her to play with my hair as she talked to me about everything and anything. After she worked out the knots and it stopped yanking, it started to become quite pleasant. I stopped paying attention to what she was saying and relaxed just listening to her voice and enjoying her strong but gentle fingers in my hair.

"You haven't answered me, friend Match."

"Hmmm? Oh, Star, sorry! I must have dozed off!" I felt heat rising in my face. I hoped I hadn't insulted her by not paying attention.

She giggled and I relaxed. "Sorry" I said again. "What did you ask?"

Her face got a bit more serious. "I was asking… about… you know."

I rolled my eyes. "Let me guess. Robin."

She just nodded, blushing.

"He's not making his move, and you're worrying because of it."

She nodded again.

"Maybe you should make the move yourself?"

She looked at me, her eyes wide. "I would not have the dream about doing such a thing!"

"Star, come here. Closer." She approached me. I whispered in her ear.

Her eyes widened alarmingly. "She… she did? Friend Raven did that?"

I nodded, then scowled. "You do understand that I'm telling you this in the strictest of the confidences and that I shall be extremely upset with you should you release the information. Do we have the agreement?" _Why am I speaking like her?_ I wondered.

She nodded vigorously, then placed a hand over her mouth and giggled.

"The understanding still escapes me. Friend Raven… I would never venture the guess that she could perform such a feat!"

"Well, she realized that I was not able to, so she had to do it herself. Just shows you that in these things there are no written laws or procedures, like I told you."

"A thousand thanks for the confidence you shared, friend Match! I shall be the keeper of the secret most reliably!"

"I know, Star." I felt tired. "I should go now. I'm still weak."

"Will you not look at the state of your hair first?"

"Hmmm? Ah, of course. Do you have a mirror?"

She gave me a mirror and I looked. I gasped. Her hands went to her mouth, terrified. "You… do not like…?"

"Star, it's _gorgeous!_ " It really was. She was a natural. My hair was shining with a deep, coppery sheen, falling on one shoulder, leaving the other bare, and partly hiding one eye, increasing the asymmetry. It was beautiful, sexy and demure at the same time. "I will make a point of coming more often for you to arrange my hair!"

She clapped her hands. "Glorious! I am so happy that you expressed the approval for my work of the hands!"

"As long as your handiwork stays like this, I will continue to express my approval. But I really have to go."

"I shall not keep you any longer, then, friend Match."

"OK, Star. Bye!" I told her and kissed her on the cheek.

I walked back to Raven's room, the stiffness leaving but my aches returning. I needed to lie down. I haven't realized how weak I still was.

I walked in. Rae was meditating. I crawled into bed.

"I see Starfire was messing with your hair" she said. She had one eye opened and was looking at me.

"Like it? I do."

She opened both eyes, disentangled her legs from the lotus position and floated closer, eyeing me critically. "It _is_ a lot better than before."

"Come on, Rae. _Anything_ is better than before. And it's really nice."

She smiled. "Indeed it is. Nice, I mean."

"Thanks!" I told her and yawned. "I'm exhausted. I have to sleep. Come here and snuggle up."

"I can give you a giant chicken to snuggle up to if you want!"

"Play the cool one as much as you want, but soon I'll be dragging you over to Starfire so she can play with _your_ hair a bit."

A giant felt chicken came sailing from a corner of the room, enveloped in a black mist, to hit me in the head. I threw it back at her, missing her, and turned in the bed. I was asleep almost instantly.

* * *

The next few days I visited Starfire almost daily. We agreed on everything and I left her to her work, only popping in a couple of times to check up on how it was going and to see if she needed anything. I was quite pleased with how it was coming along.

I was just ready to pay Star what was probably the last visit before we sprang our surprise. I got up and went for the door. Raven paused in her meditation, opened one eye and called after me.

"What are you two planning?"

I turned around and grinned at her. "A surprise. So if I tell you, it won't be a surprise any more."

She opened both eyes and frowned. "I don't like surprises" she said.

"You'll love this one!"

"Whatever" she said, closing her eyes and returning to her meditation. I stood there, grinning at her.

After some ten seconds, she opened one eye and looked at me again. I was still grinning at her.

"What?" she asked, exasperated.

"Admit it. Doubt is nibbling at you. Uncertainty is gnawing at your thoughts. Suspicion is engulfing you. Incertitude is bewildering you. You want to know."

She rolled her eyes and forced them close. "Would you mind? I'm trying to meditate."

I giggled and left.

* * *

Starfire and me had everything ready. Only the last touches remained. We brought a screen to the Ops room and located it in the most convenient position.

Once we had everyone in the Ops room, Starfire said in a strong, carrying voice.

"My friends! Friend Match and I have a small surprise prepared for you. So please leave the premises for the period of five of the minutes until we have it all ready!"

She herded them all out, eliciting annoyed yelps from Beast Boy for interrupting his game, and grumbles from Raven on general grounds.

She flitted quickly back and whispered to me. "Get ready, friend Match!"

"Working on it. It's quite tight."

She giggled. "I know!"

It took me a few minutes to finish. She looked at me critically, turning me around, making some final adjustments. Once she was happy with everything, she gave me a wink and a gentle push towards the screen. I went over and hid behind it.

I peeked behind the screen. She flitted over to the door, opening it and calling everyone back in. I hid again.

I heard her ordering everyone to their seats and briefly arguing with Beast Boy who obviously tried to continue his game. Finally there was silence.

"Friends! We wish to introduce to you the new superhero of Jump City, the Blade of the Crimson!"

I rolled my eyes at her mangling of my new name and walked out from behind the screen. I was wearing a spandex suit that covered me completely to the neck, but was so tight that it left literally nothing to imagination. It was crimson, with a wide diagonal green stripe, setting off both my hair and my eyes. Two elliptical blades crossed behind a disk, done in crimson, were placed on a field of green on my chest as my new symbol.

Beast Boy turned into a wolf and started howling. Cyborg's jaw almost hit the floor. Robin's eyes were huge. I was a bit concerned and hoped Starfire would not notice or hold it against me if she did. Raven scowled.

Cyborg closed his mouth with a snap. "Girl, do you put that on or do you paint it on?"

"So, whadda ya think?"

"New superhero? You mean…"

"Yep. Meet Crimson Blade, fighter for justice."

"That's… great news!" Robin stammered. "It's certainly unexpected!"

"You are NOT going out dressed like that!" Raven growled, slapping Beast Boy on the head. "Stop drooling!"

I smirked at her. "Says the girl with the skin-tight leotard and the bare legs!"

"I wear a cloak!" she said loudly, a shade of pink coloring her cheeks.

I walked over to her, took her face in my hands and kissed her, to the whoops of everybody. "Jealous?" I whispered.

"Of course not!" she said, the pink deepening slightly. I kissed her again, looking at her steadily. She dropped her gaze. "Oh, go ahead and do what you want!"

I frowned. "I was hoping you would like the idea" I said softly.

She looked up. "I do. I really do. You just… surprised me."

"I meant to" I told her and kissed her yet again. She smiled, and I knew everything was right.

Cyborg was looking at me appreciatively. "Girl, that outfit will have all male villains stop and stare at you until the cops just walk in and pick them up."

"I hope they don't arrest me, too, for public lewdness!"

Robin walked over. "Congratulations, Match! You've made the right decision!"

I looked at him. "I know. But I have to thank you – all of you – for helping me reach it." I grinned at him. "And it's Crimson Blade from now on!"

* * *

The next weeks were quite busy for me. I had to find a place to live, since I could not stay in the Tower forever. I finally found a small house with a large, walled garden for training, sufficiently isolated so as not to worry about nosy neighbors. I had more than enough funds from my last assignments to buy it and equip it, even though it reduced my liquid assets alarmingly. I shrugged it off; if necessary, Match could always perform a couple of odd jobs – as long as they were relatively legal.

Cyborg helped me out with the security and we wired it directly to the Tower's alarm system. Any trouble and I'd have the most badass group of superheroes at my beck and call.

He also helped me set up an operations center in the basement. He wanted to link it to the Tower's mainframe, but I vetoed it. It was too risky.

"If I need to look for something that I don't have, I'll just pop in" I told him. "You're like ten minutes away."

"You're right, I got a bit carried away" he said, grinning. Then the grin dropped off his face and he continued working on the network installations.

"Something's on your mind, Cy."

"Damn right it is" he said, still working, not looking at me.

"Anything you'd like to share?"

"Maybe."

"Why don't we skip over the waiting and the awkwardness and you just spill it?"

He put down his tools, got up and looked at me. "It's Rae."

"What about her?"

"She's been moody, cranky, rude and unreasonable."

"So what else is new? We _are_ talking about Raven, aren't we?"

"Don't try to hide from it. You're hurting her."

My gut wrenched, my chest constricted. "Wait, she is thinking that I'm… leaving her?"

"That's Doctor Cy's diagnosis."

 _Shit_. "Cy, I was so busy with all this crap, I confess I was neglecting her… But I had no idea it would amount to that much!"

"I've known her a lot longer than you. She is strong, powerful and can keep her cool in the most difficult situations. But in these matters, she's completely lost. There was this time, once…" he shook his head. "I shouldn't be telling you this. Hopefully she will. But you have to be very careful about her feelings towards you."

"I think I'm going over to the Tower and talk to her" I said.

"I have a better idea. Take the rest of the day off. And tomorrow, too. You two go places and do things. I'll cover for you."

I hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. "You're the best, Cy!"

"Of course I am. Now go!"

I turned to leave. "Match!" he called after me. I turned to look at him. He was unusually serious.

"Never hurt her. Never make me have to choose."

I walked back to him, putting a hand on his metallic shoulder.

"Cyborg. Believe me when I say that if I ever hurt her, nothing that you could do, nothing that you could even imagine would compare to what I'd do to myself."

I turned and ran off.

* * *

I placed my fingers on her door and waited. Soon it opened. I walked into the familiar gloom, looking for her.

She was meditating, or at least pretending to do it. I knelt in seiza in front of her, waiting patiently.

She opened an eye.

"Hi."

"Hi, Rae."

"Need anything?"

I nodded. "I need to tell you I'm sorry." I took her hand into mine. "Cyborg had to beat it into my thick skull with his steel fist before I understood."

She smiled. "It's no matter. You have a new life ahead of you. I'm happy for you."

"Raven, don't do this to yourself. Don't do it to me, to us!"

"Do what? I'm just… happy for you."

I was getting desperate. I wasn't reaching her. "Rae, nothing matters to me more than you. I can't see you like this. I'll scrap it all, stay with you."

She frowned. "No, you can't do that. I know it is important to you. You have to build a new life, start from the beginning, not carry left over baggage."

I squeezed her hand with both of mine. I willed all my anguish, all my despair, all my love to flow into her. And another feeling, that I was just becoming aware of.

Anger.

"Baggage? Is that what you think you are to me?" I said, my voice rising and starting to shake as my anger grow hotter, threatening to explode. "Do I have to tell you what you mean to me? Can't you fucking _feel it?_ "

Her eyes narrowed. White flames lit up in their depths. "Don't use such language when speaking to me!"

I blew up. "I'll use any fucking language I want! What are you afraid of? Why can't you just rip those fucking chains apart and spread your wings already? Have I taught you _nothing?_ "

" _Enough! Leave me!_ "

In a split second my rage turned from blazing hot to icy cold.

"You want me to leave you to your misery? _I will_. You want me to go so you can continue to wallow in self-pity? _FINE!_ "

Her eyes blazed white for a few moments and then the fire winked out of them. Anguish gripped me. I overdid it. She would just clam up even more and I'd lose her forever. I felt my heart being torn out.

"Rae, please…" I tried, desperate.

She just fell on me, her arms going around me, her head burying itself in my chest. I hugged her fiercely, my body shaking.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. I can't lose you. I can't."

She spoke softly, her voice muffled. "No. I've been an idiot. Thank you for showing me."

I kept her in my arms for a long time, afraid to let go, waiting for the storm in my soul to subside.

I finally calmed down enough to push her gently away, looking into her eyes.

"We really need to get some self-confidence into you. You're as fragile as Murano glass. I can't keep on tiptoeing around your feelings like this" I told her and hugged her with all my might.

She smiled and buried her head in my chest again.

I let her find comfort for a minute before I spoke.

"So, what do you want to do this afternoon?"

She looked up. "Don't you have stuff to do?"

"I took the afternoon off. And tomorrow. So choose your fate."

"I feel Cyborg's subtle hand behind this" she said with a smile.

"I told you he had to beat some sense into me" I said.

"I'm glad I'm not the only clueless one."

"Yeah, yeah. Rub it in. Now what shall we do with all this free time?"

The communicator buzzed. Robin's voice came through.

"Mumbo is robbing a bank! Uploading coordinates!"

"You just had to ask!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** This concludes officially the story of Match. Maybe there will be more stories about Crimson Blade, I don't know.

The story was a blast to write, but even better was that I received a lot of great feedback. It helped me and it helped the story.

On the flip side, it has drained me quite a bit. I will take a week or two off writing. I have a few story concepts whirling around my head, but this time I want to rest first, then prepare much better.

 _Match_ was written mostly on a spur-of-the-moment basis. Almost nothing was planned ahead, and I think it shows. But it had taught me a lot of things, so it was definitely worth it.

Finally, a big thanks to all that followed the story to the end. I know you had to suffer through a few crappy chapters in the beginning and I hope the later ones made up for it. _Match_ would not be what it is without your support. Cheers!


End file.
